How to sign a Word document electronically

You can sign a Word document without printing it, without a scanner, and without Microsoft Word installed. Drop the .docx in and the browser lays the document out exactly as Word would, page breaks, tables, headers, letterhead and all, then you place your signature where it belongs and download a sealed file. Nothing is uploaded to a conversion service on the way.

Sign PDF online → · Free PDF Signer

What you can do

How to sign a Word document electronically

  1. Drag the .docx straight in. It is laid out in your browser, so the formatting you see is the formatting the document has, not a converter's guess at it.
  2. Check the page breaks look right. Word files with headers, footers, tables and shaded paragraphs come through as written.
  3. Draw, type or upload your signature and drop it on the signature line. Add the date and any initials at the same time.
  4. Seal and download. What comes out is a signed PDF of exactly the pages you just looked at, with a tamper-evident hash over the whole thing.

Ready? Sign PDF online now, free, no signup, and your file is auto-deleted after an hour.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to convert Word to PDF before signing?

Not yourself. The conversion happens here, in your browser, as part of dropping the file in. The reason a document ends up as a PDF at all is that a .docx is an editable file: anyone who opens it can move the words above your signature. Sealing it as a PDF is what makes the signature mean something.

How do I electronically sign a Word document?

Drop the .docx in, place your signature where the signature line is, and download the sealed copy. To eSign a Word document properly the file has to stop being editable at the moment you sign it, which is why what comes out is a PDF: a signature inside a .docx sits in a file anyone can still rewrite around it.

How do I add a digital signature to Word?

Drop the .docx in and place the signature on the page. To add a digital signature to Word in the cryptographic sense, with a certificate behind it, the document has to stop being editable at the moment of signing, which is why what comes back is sealed. If you need the Word file rather than a PDF, you can have that too: the finished pages come back as a .docx with the layout intact.

Can I sign a .docx file directly?

You drop the .docx file in directly, yes, and nothing has to be converted by you first. What you get back is a signed PDF rather than a signed .docx, for the reason above: the point of signing is to fix the document, and a .docx is by definition not fixed.

Can I sign a Word document without Microsoft Word?

Yes. Nothing on this page needs Word, Office or LibreOffice installed. The .docx is read and laid out by the browser itself, which is why this works the same on a Chromebook, an iPad and a work laptop with a locked-down software list.

Will the layout change?

The pages are drawn from Word's own layout instructions, including its page breaks where the file records them, so what you get is the document rather than an approximation of it. A file that uses fonts nobody outside your office has is the one case worth checking on screen before you send it.

Can I add a company stamp to the Word file as well as a signature?

Yes. A stamp or a watermark can go on before you seal it, on one page or on every page, which is the usual pattern for an approved or a confidential mark on a contract.

Is it free to sign a PDF online?

Yes. You can fill in and sign a PDF for free with no account, you only pay when you download a finished document ($1.50 per document pay-as-you-go, or unlimited on any paid plan). sign a Word document works the same way.

Is signing a PDF online secure?

Yes. Files are uploaded over 256-bit TLS, processed in your browser session, and automatically deleted after one hour. Each signature is bound to the document with a SHA-256 tamper-evident seal, so any later edit is detectable.

Are electronic signatures legally binding?

Yes, electronic signatures are legally binding for ordinary business documents in 190+ countries under the US ESIGN Act and UETA, the EU eIDAS Regulation, and equivalent laws worldwide. Courts look for intent, identity and integrity, all of which PDF Verified records.

Do I need to install anything?

No. Everything runs in your browser on desktop or mobile, no app, plugin or download required.

What PDF Verified is, and what it is not

Electronic signature law is settled in broad terms and specific in the details. The ESIGN Act, UETA, eIDAS and their equivalents recognise electronic signatures across more than 190 countries, and what decides a particular case is intent to sign plus evidence connecting the signature to the signer, which is what the audit certificate records. Certain document types carry their own formalities wherever you are: deeds, wills, some property instruments, and anything requiring a witness or a notary. Sign only what you are authorised to sign, since applying another person signature without their authority is forgery whatever tool is used.

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.

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