How to Insert Text, Sign a PDF With Adobe Acrobat Reader

You’ve received a PDF file that you need to fill out, sign, and then return to the sender. In some cases, the sender may have created an electronic PDF form in which you can easily add text into the appropriate fields. However, that’s not always the case. Sometimes the file is just a static PDF with no ability to electronically edit the form fields. Does that mean you need to print it, fill it out, sign it, scan it, and then email or fax it back to the sender? No, there’s an easier way. You can insert text and sign a PDF electronically by using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Even though Acrobat Reader is designed to display PDF files, the program does possess some editing capabilities. You can open the PDF in Reader and use the Fill & Sign tool to insert text and then sign the PDF by typing, drawing your signature on a touch-screen device, or downloading your signature from a graphic file. Let’s look at how to insert text and sign a PDF through Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Download Adobe Acrobat Reader

If you don’t already have Acrobat Reader, download it here. Launch Reader and then open the PDF you need to sign, or just double-click the file to open it directly in Reader.

View Tools Pane

You access the Fill & Sign tool from the Tools pane. To display this pane, click on the View menu, move to Show/Hide, and then click on the entry for Tools Pane. From the Tools pane, click on the command for Fill & Sign.

Fill & Sign Toolbar

The Fill & Sign toolbar pops up, and your cursor turns into a text insertion point. Click in the field or area where you want to type your text.

Write and Edit Text

Type the name, date, or other text you need to insert. After you’ve typed the text, you can select it and click on the small A to decrease the size or the large A to increase the size. If you’re not happy with the text, click on the trash can icon to delete it and start over.

Exit Text Mode

Click anywhere in the PDF to exit text mode. Click in the next area where you need to add text and repeat the process.

Add Signature

After you’ve inserted the necessary text, you can now sign the PDF. Click on the Sign icon on the Fill & Sign toolbar and then click on the command to Add Signature.

Type Signature

The window to add your signature offers three options. You can type your signature, in which case Acrobat Reader just applies a handwritten font style to your name. If you’re not crazy about the style, click on the Change Style menu and choose a different one.

Draw Signature

If you’re using a touch-screen device, you can draw your name with your finger or a stylus.

Upload Signature

You can upload an image of your signature if you’ve already scanned or photographed it and saved it as a graphic file.

Apply Signature

Choose your option. If you’re happy with your signature, click on the Apply button to add it to the PDF. By default, your signature is automatically saved so you can reuse it for future PDFs.

Place Signature

Back at the PDF, position your cursor where you want your signature to appear and click. You can decrease or increase the size or delete the signature and try again.

Add Saved Signature

To add your signature to another spot or a subsequent PDF, click on the Sign icon and choose your saved signature. After you’ve added text and signed the PDF, save the file. You may want to give it a different name than the original to identify it as the signed version.

About Our Expert

Lance Whitney

Contributor

My Experience

I've been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I've written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for CNET as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I've also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.

My Areas of Expertise

I've used Windows, Office, and other Microsoft products for years so I'm well versed in that world. I also know the Mac quite well. I'm always working with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and Android on my various mobile devices. And these days, I write a lot about AI, so that's become another key area for me.

The Tech I Use

My wife always jokes about all the tech products we have around the house, but I manage to put them to good use for my articles. I like Lenovo computers, so I own a couple of Lenovo desktops and several laptops. I have three MacBooks and a Mac mini. For my mobile life and work, I use an iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad mini as well as an Apple Watch. But since I write about Android, I own several Android phones and tablets. Like any tech person, I have a cabinet full of cables, wires, and assorted mysterious gadgets. And when it's time to take a break from writing, I have an old Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, both of which I use for exercise and fitness games.

Read the latest from Lance Whitney

Read full bio