How to create an electronic signature
An electronic signature isn't one particular file or font. Under US law it's any electronic sound, symbol or process you attach to a record with the intent to sign it. So creating one is easy. What makes it hold up is everything around it: that you meant to sign, agreed to sign electronically, and that a record shows it. Here's both halves.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
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Four ways to make one
| Method | How | Looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Type your full name and pick a script style. | Neat and consistent, but not your handwriting |
| Draw | Sign with a finger, stylus, trackpad or mouse. | Your handwriting, if you have a touchscreen or pen |
| Upload | Use an image file of your signature, ideally a transparent PNG. | Exactly your pen signature |
| Photo | Sign white paper with a dark pen and photograph it up close. | Your pen signature, with the paper removed |
All four are electronic signatures. Ticking an "I agree" box, or clicking a button that says you sign, can be one too, as long as it's clear you intend to sign.
What makes it count
The federal ESIGN Act and state UETA laws say a signature or contract can't be denied legal effect just because it's electronic. In practice, a signature you can rely on has four things behind it:
- Intent. The signer meant to sign, not just to look at the document. Wording like "Adopt and sign" next to the button makes that plain.
- Consent. For consumer transactions, ESIGN requires the person to agree to use electronic records, after being told about paper copies and how to withdraw.
- Association. The signature is attached to, or logically tied to, the exact document signed.
- A record. A copy everyone can keep and reproduce, plus evidence of who signed and when.
Some documents fall outside these laws, including wills, many family law papers and certain court and eviction notices. Check are electronic signatures legal before you rely on one for those.
Make a signature image for your own documents
- 1
Open the signature maker
Our free signature maker runs in your browser, and nothing you type or draw leaves your device.
- 2
Type or draw
Type your name and choose one of six script styles, or switch to Draw and sign. Pick black or blue ink.
- 3
Download it
Save a transparent PNG for Word, Google Docs and email footers, or an SVG that stays sharp at any size.
An image like this is handy, but on its own it's just a picture: nothing shows who placed it or when. For a contract, sign through a process that records that.
Create one that comes with a record
When you sign in SignMaster, the signature you create is tied to a consent step and an audit trail. Each send is an envelope: one or more documents going to one or more signers.
- 1
Save yours in your profile
Go to Settings > Profile > Your signature and add a signature and your initials. Only you can see or use them.
- 2
Or create it while signing
On any signing page, tap a signature field and choose Draw, Type, Upload or Photo. Uploads and photos have the paper removed so only the ink shows.
- 3
Adopt and sign
Select Adopt and sign. You've agreed the signature is as binding as pen and paper, and SignMaster places it in every signature spot assigned to you.
- 4
Keep the record
When everyone has signed, the PDF ends with a certificate of completion: your email, IP address, browser, and when you viewed, consented and signed.
Questions? Answers.
Is a typed name a valid electronic signature?
It can be. US law defines an electronic signature by intent, not appearance: a typed name adopted with the intent to sign qualifies. A process that records who typed it and when makes it far easier to prove.
What's the difference between an electronic and a digital signature?
An electronic signature is any electronic mark of intent to sign. A digital signature is a specific technology that uses a certificate and encryption. See electronic vs digital signatures.
Can I use the same electronic signature on every document?
Yes. Save a signature image for your own letters, or save one in your SignMaster profile to sign envelopes in one tap. Each signing still records its own consent and time.
Which documents can't be signed electronically?
ESIGN excludes wills, codicils and testamentary trusts, many family law matters, court documents, and certain notices like utility shutoffs and foreclosure. State law can add more.
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 7006, ESIGN Act definitions (govinfo) · govinfo.gov
- 15 U.S.C. § 7001, ESIGN Act general rule and consumer consent (govinfo) · govinfo.gov
- 15 U.S.C. § 7003, ESIGN Act exceptions (govinfo) · govinfo.gov
- Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (1999), final text (Uniform Law Commission) · uniformlaws.org