How to add a signature in Google Docs
Google Docs has no signature button for your own signature, but two of its tools do the job: insert an image of your signature, or draw one with the Scribble tool. The image looks far better. Here's how to place it so it sits on the line like real ink, reuse it in every document, and leave the right spaces for anyone signing after you.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
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Insert your signature as an image
- 1
Make the image once
Create a transparent PNG with our free signature maker, or photograph your pen signature (see how to make a signature image). Upload it to a Drive folder you'll remember.
- 2
Insert it
Click just above your typed name, then choose Insert > Image and pick Drive or Upload from computer.
- 3
Let it overlap the line
Click the image. In the small toolbar under it, choose In front of text, then drag the signature so its bottom just touches the signature line.
- 4
Size it
Drag a corner handle so it keeps its proportions. If you'd rather type exact sizes, open Image options from the toolbar.
Reuse it in seconds
Keep the PNG in one Drive folder, named something like signature.png. In any Doc, Insert > Image > Drive finds it in a couple of clicks, on any computer you sign in to.
Or draw it with Scribble
No image handy? Choose Insert > Drawing > + New, open the line menu in the drawing toolbar, pick Scribble and sign with your mouse or trackpad. Click Save and close. To fix it later, double-click the drawing to reopen the editor. Expect a shakier signature than a photo of your pen one.
Build a signature block for the other side
If someone else signs after you, leave them a clear place to do it. A two-column table with no borders keeps the parties side by side:
- Each column gets a signature line, a printed name, a title and a date line.
- Give the line room: two blank lines above it so a signature isn't squeezed against the paragraph.
- Remove the table borders afterward with the border width setting, so only the lines show.
On a paid Google Workspace plan with eSignature turned on, Tools > eSignature lets you drag Signature, Initials, Name, Text field and Date signed fields onto the Doc for each signer and request their signatures from Google.
Turn the Doc into something people can sign
An image of your signature in a shared Doc can be copied by anyone who can open the file, and the wording can still change. For an agreement, freeze it as a PDF and collect signatures on that. Each send in SignMaster is an envelope: one or more documents going to one or more signers.
- 1
Type tags in the signature block
Where the client signs, type {{signature:1}} and on their date line {{date_signed:1}}. For you as the second signer, use {{signature:2}} and {{date_signed:2}}.
- 2
Download a PDF
Choose File > Download > PDF Document (.pdf).
- 3
Upload and send
Click New envelope, upload the PDF, accept the offer to turn the tags into fields, add the client first and yourself second, and send.
- 4
Countersign
When the client is done, it's your turn. If your signature is saved under Settings > Profile, you sign with one tap.
Questions? Answers.
How do I insert a signature in Google Docs?
Use Insert > Image to add a picture of your signature, then set it to In front of text and drag it onto the line. Or use Insert > Drawing > + New and the Scribble tool to draw one.
Can I add a signature in the Google Docs mobile app?
The drawing tool isn't in the mobile app. You can insert an image from your phone's photos, but placing it precisely is far easier on a computer.
How do I get rid of the white box around my signature image?
Use a PNG with a transparent background. A photo saved as JPG keeps the paper behind the ink, which shows as a white or gray box on the page.
Is a signature image in a Google Doc legally valid?
It can be. The federal ESIGN Act doesn't deny a signature legal effect just because it's electronic. Without a signing record, though, it's hard to show who added it and when.