How to sign a PDF in Google Drive

Request signatures with Workspace eSignature

Google lists eSignature for Workspace Individual, and for Business Standard and Plus, certain Enterprise plans and Education Plus once an admin turns it on. Only people who own or can edit the PDF see the option. On a computer:

1. 1

   Open the PDF in Drive

   Go to drive.google.com, upload the PDF or open one you have, in viewing mode.

2. 2

   Open eSignature

   At the top right, click the Menu icon, then eSignature.

3. 3

   Place fields for each signer

   Choose a signer under Insert fields for (use Manage signers to add up to 10), then drag Signature, Initials, Name, Text field or Date signed fields onto the page.

4. 4

   Send the request

   Click Request signature, enter each signer's email and an optional message, turn on Automatic reminders if you want them, and click Request signature again.

Signers get an email link, fill their fields, adopt a typed or drawn signature and mark the document complete. The finished PDF gets an audit trail page at the end. While a request is out, the PDF is locked; to change it you cancel the request and send a new one.

On a free Google account

• Fill in a form on Android: open the PDF in the Drive app, tap Edit, then Form Filling, type your answers and tap Save. It only works on PDFs with real fillable fields.
• Draw a signature on Android: open the PDF in the Drive app and tap the annotate button at the bottom right, then sign with the pen. It needs Android 6.0 or later.
• On iPhone: save the PDF to Files and sign it with Markup, then upload the signed copy back to Drive.

On a computer, use Chrome's PDF viewer

Drive's own help covers PDF drawing only in the Android app, but Chrome's built-in PDF viewer can do it on a computer. Open the PDF in a Chrome tab, select Draw, then Pen, pick a size and color, and sign by clicking and dragging. Select Done. Then use the Save to Drive icon at the top right to put the signed copy back in Drive. It doesn't work in Incognito or a Guest profile.

When Drive isn't the right tool

• You don't have Workspace, or your admin turned eSignature off.
• More than 10 people sign the same document.
• The signer is standing in front of you and you want them to sign on your phone right now.
• You send the same document again and again and want it ready to go with the fields already placed.

Do it with SignMaster

SignMaster works with any Google account, or none, and runs in your browser. Each document you send is an envelope: one or more documents going to one or more signers.

1. 1

   Bring the PDF over

   Save the PDF from Drive to your computer or phone, then start a new envelope in SignMaster and upload it.

2. 2

   Set up signers

   Add each signer by name and email and set the signing order. Click Add me to sign it yourself.

3. 3

   Place fields once

   Put signature, initials, date signed, text and checkbox fields where they go. Save it as a template to reuse it.

4. 4

   Send or sign in person

   Send links that open on any device, with no account. Or tap Sign in person and hand your phone to someone who's with you.

When everyone's signed, each signer gets the signed PDF by email with a certificate of completion listing each signer's email, IP address, device and timestamps. Save that copy back to Drive with the rest of your files. The free plan includes 3 envelopes a month, no card needed.