How to sign a document on an iPhone
The iPhone can already mark up a PDF: open the attachment, tap the pen, scribble. It works, and for an internal form it is fine. What it produces is a drawing on a file, and if the document is a contract, an invoice approval or anything somebody may question later, the difference between a drawing and a signed record matters. Neither route needs an app.
Drop your document here and sign it now. PDF, Word and Excel all work: a .docx or .xlsx is laid out in your browser exactly as it was written, so there is nothing to convert first. Add a signature, a date, a company stamp or a watermark, then download it sealed. Free to start, no account, and the file is never uploaded to open it.
How to sign a document on an iPhone, step by step
- Open the file in Safari, From Mail, Messages, Files or iCloud Drive. PDF, Word and Excel all work, and a .docx does not need converting first.
- Sign with your finger, Zoom into the signature area before you draw, because a signature drawn across the whole page and shrunk down is the one that looks wrong. Type it in a handwriting face instead if the drawn one will not behave.
- Add the date and any fields, The date fills itself in. Initials, text and a company stamp go on in the same pass.
- Save or share it straight back, Save to Files or iCloud, or share directly into the Mail reply. Nothing is left on the phone that you did not ask for.
What you get
- No App Store download, no account, and no permissions to grant.
- Works on any iPhone that runs a current Safari, and identically in Chrome.
- Word and Excel attachments sign directly, not just PDFs.
- A sealed file with a verification link, rather than a marked-up copy.
- The finished document goes back into the email reply from the same phone.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sign a PDF on an iPhone without an app?
Yes. Open it in Safari, sign it, and save or share the result. Everything happens in the browser, so there is nothing to install and nothing asking for access to your files or photos.
What about the Markup pen in Mail?
Markup draws on the file. It is quick and it is fine for something informal, but it records no time, no signer and no way for the recipient to check the document afterwards, and the annotation can be removed by whoever opens it next.
My signature looks like a scribble. What am I doing wrong?
Almost certainly the zoom. Pinch in until the signature area fills the screen, then draw at that size. A signature drawn small and enlarged is shaky, and one drawn large and reduced looks like your real hand.
Can I sign a Word attachment on my phone?
Yes. A .docx is laid out as written and signed directly, and you can download it back as a Word file so the layout does not shift for whoever receives it.
Does it work on an iPad too?
Yes, and with an Apple Pencil it is the best signing experience on any device.
What PDF Verified is, and what it is not
PDF Verified is a tool for preparing, signing, stamping and checking documents. It is not a law firm, a compliance service or a forensic examiner, and nothing here is legal, financial or compliance advice. Requirements differ by country, by document type and by the party asking, so check what applies to your document before you rely on it, and take advice where the document matters. You are responsible for the documents you create, sign and send, and for having the authority to do so: signing or stamping in somebody else name, or as an organisation you do not represent, is forgery whatever tool is used. To the extent the law allows, we accept no liability for how a document made with this tool is used or relied on. The full position is in our terms of service.