How to make a signature image

Option 1: make one from scratch

1. 1

   Open the signature maker

   Our free signature maker works in any browser, with no sign-up. Nothing you type or draw is uploaded.

2. 2

   Type or draw it

   Type your name and pick one of six script styles, adjusting size and slant, or switch to Draw and sign with a finger, stylus or mouse.

3. 3

   Choose the ink

   Black for most documents. Blue is popular for contracts because it reads as an original rather than a photocopy.

4. 4

   Download

   Pick PNG for a transparent image that works almost everywhere, or SVG for one that stays sharp at any size.

Option 2: photograph your pen signature

1. 1

   Sign for the camera

   Use plain white paper and a black felt-tip or gel pen; a ballpoint is often too thin and gray. Sign a little larger than usual.

2. 2

   Take the photo in even light

   Daylight near a window, with no shadow from your hand or phone. Hold the phone flat above the page, not at an angle, so the signature isn't skewed.

3. 3

   Crop it tight

   In your phone's photo editor, crop to just the signature with a small margin. Leftover paper makes the image hard to place.

4. 4

   Remove the paper

   Make the white background transparent with one of the tools below, then save as PNG. A JPG can't be transparent, so it always carries a white box.

Removing the background for free

• Mac: open the photo in Preview and click Remove Background. When Preview asks to convert the file to PNG, click Convert, or choose File > Duplicate first to keep the original. If patches of paper remain, the Instant Alpha tool in the Markup toolbar clears them.
• Windows: open the photo in Paint on Windows 11 and click the remove background button in the toolbar. If it's missing, update Paint from the Microsoft Store. Save the result as PNG.
• Skip this step entirely: when you sign in SignMaster, choose Upload or Photo and the paper is removed for you, so only your ink lands on the document.

Mistakes that give it away

• A white rectangle behind the ink. Save as a transparent PNG, not JPG.
• Gray, speckled paper. Shoot in brighter light, or raise the contrast before removing the background.
• Too big or too small. Size it to about twice the height of the text around it.
• Pixelated edges in print. Start from a sharp, close photo. The signature maker's PNG is drawn at twice the size for that reason.

Using it to actually sign something

For your own letters, an image is all you need: see add a signature in Word or in Google Docs. For an agreement, sign through a process that records who signed. Each send in SignMaster is an envelope: one or more documents going to one or more signers.

1. 1

   Save it to your profile

   In Settings > Profile > Your signature, add your signature from the picture. Add your initials too.

2. 2

   Send or sign the document

   Start a new envelope, add yourself with Add me and anyone else signing, and place their fields.

3. 3

   Sign with your image

   Your saved signature is offered first on every signature field assigned to you. You still review the document and agree to sign electronically each time.