Electronically sign documents with a handwritten signature

In this how-to article, you’ll learn how to electronically sign documents with a digital representation of your own handwritten signature. Adobe Acrobat Pro software is required.

Step-by-step guide

First, capture your handwritten signature. For best results, use a wide-tipped black felt pen, such as a Sharpie® marker, and write large (the width of a standard letter sheet for example) on white paper. Scan your signature and capture it as an image file (TIFF, PNG, JPEG).
Next, create your document. When your document is complete and ready for signing, print it, selecting Adobe PDF as the printer. You’ll be prompted for a filename and save location. Once finished, click Save. Once saved, your document will open in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Now, create your electronic signature and use it to sign your document. **Note, this process varies depending on the version of Acrobat Pro you're running. Select your version below for detailed instructions.**

Acrobat Pro 10
Click on Tools > Sign & Certify > More Sign & Certify > Security Settings…
Select Digital IDs and click Add ID. Select A new digital ID I want to create now and click Next.
Select New PKCS#12 digital ID file and click Next.
Enter your identity information (use your department name for Organizational Unit and UNC Asheville for Organization Name). Key Algorithm can be set to either 1024 or 2048-bit RSA and digital ID use should be set to both Digital Signatures and Data Encryption. Click Next when finished.
As instructed in the file location dialog, change the default save location for your digital ID file by clicking Browse and navigating to a folder on your P:\ drive. This allows you to easily find your digital ID file should you need to backup or copy it to another machine. Enter and confirm a strong password. **Please make a note of this password as you will be unable to sign documents with or export/import this digital ID without it. ITS has no access to this password and cannot recover it, reset it, or assist you with it in any way.** Click Finish when done.
Click on Sign Document. A prompt will appear instructing you to click and drag with your mouse to indicate where you would like your signature to appear. Click OK to close the prompt. Click and drag as instructed.
The Sign Document window shows the default appearance of your digital ID. To replace this with your handwritten signature, click the drop-down arrow next to Appearance and select Create New Appearance…
Give your signature appearance a title. Under Configure Graphic select Imported graphic and click on File to browse for the image of your handwritten signature. Un-check ALL boxes under Configure Text and click OK.
Enter your Password and click Sign. Additionally, you may select Lock Document After Signing which prevents the document from being signed by others after you have signed. You will be presented with a save file dialog window. Save your document with the existing file name. You may then print your signed document or send as an attachment via electronic means.
Signing future documents. Now that your digital ID and handwritten signature appearance have been created, future documents may be signed by printing to Adobe PDF, then selecting Tools > Sign & Certify > Sign Document.
Acrobat Pro 11
Click on Sign > Work with Certificates > Sign with Certificate
Click Drag New Signature Rectangle... on the prompt, then click and drag with your mouse to indicate where you would like your signature to appear.
In the Add Digital ID dialog box, select A new digital ID I want to create now and click Next.
Select New PKCS#12 digital ID file and click Next.
Enter your identity information (use your department name for Organizational Unit and UNC Asheville for Organization Name). Key Algorithm can be set to either 1024 or 2048-bit RSA and digital ID use should be set to both Digital Signatures and Data Encryption. Click Next when finished.
As instructed in the file location dialog, change the default save location for your digital ID file by clicking Browse and navigating to a folder on your P:\ drive. This allows you to easily find your digital ID file should you need to backup or copy it to another machine. Enter and confirm a strong password. **Please make a note of this password as you will be unable to sign documents with or export/import this digital ID without it. ITS has no access to this password and cannot recover it, reset it, or assist you with it in any way.** Click Finish when done.
The Sign Document window shows the default appearance of your digital ID. To replace this with your handwritten signature, click the drop-down arrow next to Appearance and select Create New Appearance…
Give your signature appearance a title. Under Configure Graphic select Imported graphic and click on File to browse for the image of your handwritten signature. Change file type if necessary, select your desired image file, and click Open then OK. Un-check ALL boxes under Configure Text and click OK.
Enter your Password and click Sign. Additionally, you may select Lock Document After Signing which prevents the document from being signed by others after you have signed. You will be presented with a save file dialog window. Save your document with the existing file name. You may then print your signed document or send as an attachment via electronic means.
Signing future documents. Now that your digital ID and your handwritten signature appearance have been created, future documents may be signed by printing to Adobe PDF, then selecting Sign > Work with Certificates > Sign with Certificate.
Adobe DC 2015
Click on Tools and search for or scroll down to Certificates. Click Add to open the Certificates tool bar. Click Digitally Sign.
A prompt will appear instructing you to click and drag with your mouse to indicate where you would like your signature to appear. Click OK to close the prompt. Click and drag as instructed.
In the Add Digital ID dialog box, select A new digital ID I want to create now and click Next.
Select New PKCS#12 digital ID file and click Next.
Enter your identity information (use your department name for Organizational Unit and UNC Asheville for Organization Name). Key Algorithm can be set to either 1024 or 2048-bit RSA and digital ID use should be set to both Digital Signatures and Data Encryption. Click Next when finished.
As instructed in the file location dialog, change the default save location for your digital ID file by clicking Browse and navigating to a folder on your P:\ drive. This allows you to easily find your digital ID file should you need to backup or copy it to another machine. Enter and confirm a strong password. **Please make a note of this password as you will be unable to sign documents with or export/import this digital ID without it. ITS has no access to this password and cannot recover it, reset it, or assist you with it in any way.** Click Finish when done.
The Sign Document window shows the default appearance of your digital ID. To replace this with your handwritten signature, click the drop-down arrow next to Appearance and select Create New Appearance…
Give your signature appearance a title. Under Configure Graphic select Imported graphic and click on File to browse for the image of your handwritten signature. Change file type if necessary, select your desired image file, and click Open then OK. Un-check ALL boxes under Configure Text and click OK.
Enter your Password and click Sign. Additionally, you may select Lock Document After Signing which prevents the document from being signed by others after you have signed. You will be presented with a save file dialog window. Save your document with the existing file name. You may then print your signed document or send as an attachment via electronic means.
Signing future documents. Now that your digital ID and your handwritten signature appearance have been created, future documents may be signed by printing to Adobe PDF, then selecting Certificates > Digitally Sign.

What is an electronic signature?

An electronic signature consists of symbols or other data in digital form attached to an electronically transmitted document as verification of the sender’s intent to sign the document.

Step-by-step guide

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