Our archive includes old scanned agreements with handwritten signatures and reviewer notes that are now obsolete. Lega…
Open the PDF form you want to fill in Adobe Acrobat.
Select the Fill & Sign tool from the right pane or the Tools menu.
Click into each form field and type your information where required.
Best practiceIf a field is not interactive, you can use the 'Add Text' option in Fill & Sign to type anywhere on the document.
Click the signature icon in the Fill & Sign toolbar to add your personal signature.
Choose to add your signature and either type, draw, or upload an image of your signature.
NoteYou can save your signature for future use if desired.
Click your signature to place it on the document, then drag it to the appropriate location.
Save the completed and signed PDF using File > Save or File > Save As.
CautionOnce saved, some forms may not allow further editing of fields or signatures.
You can resize or reposition your signature after placing it by clicking and dragging the corners.
This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.
A handwritten signature is made with a pen on paper and then scanned into a PDF, making it part of the image. An electronic signature, created with tools like Fill & Sign, is an overlay that sits on top of the document. This means you can easily move, resize, or remove an electronic signature, but a scanned handwritten signature is usually fixed and cannot be changed directly within Acrobat's Fill & Sign tool.
The Fill & Sign tool is designed to manage electronic signatures that you add using the tool itself. When a document is scanned, any handwritten signatures become part of the background image. The Fill & Sign tool cannot edit or remove parts of a background image. You would need a different editing tool to modify scanned content.
Yes, electronic signatures made with tools like Fill & Sign are often legally binding. Laws like the ESIGN Act in the United States and eIDAS in Europe give electronic signatures the same legal weight as traditional handwritten signatures. However, the exact legal standing can depend on the type of signature, the document, and the laws of your country or region. Always check local regulations for specific cases.