How to make an electronic signature
To make an electronic signature, draw your name on a signature pad with your mouse or finger, or type it in a handwriting font, then download it as a transparent PNG you can drop onto documents.
An electronic signature, in this everyday sense, is simply a neat image of your signature that you can place on a contract, a form or a PDF. Here is how to make one in a minute.
Draw it or type it
- Draw if you want it to look like your real, handwritten signature. Sign with a mouse on a laptop, or a finger on a phone or tablet, which usually gives the most natural line.
- Type if you just want a tidy script version of your name. Enter your name, pick a handwriting style, and it is done.
Either way, save it as a PNG with a transparent background. That transparency is what lets the signature sit neatly on top of a document rather than blocking it out with a white box.
The free signature maker offers both draw and type modes, a choice of ink colour, and a trimmed transparent PNG. It runs in your browser, so your signature is never uploaded or stored.
Using it on a document
Once you have the PNG, most PDF readers and word processors let you insert an image and drag it into place over the signature line. Because the background is transparent, only the ink shows.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create an electronic signature?
Draw your name on a signature pad or type it in a handwriting font, then download it as a transparent PNG and place it on your document.
Is a drawn or typed signature legally valid?
In many everyday situations an electronic signature is accepted, but it depends on the document and where you are. For important contracts, a dedicated e-signature service that records who signed and when is the safer route. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is my signature uploaded or saved anywhere?
Not with the Kalmtools signature maker. It is created on a canvas in your browser, so nothing is uploaded or stored.
Who makes Kalmtools
Kalmtools is built by Outside of the Fox, a design and learning studio in Stockport. We take the confusing, the half-built and the not-yet-existing and turn it into websites, e-learning, accessibility audits and digital products that work. If you have a project that needs that kind of care, come and say hello.
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