Quick start: fill and sign your first PDF in 5 minutes
Open the PDF, click each field and type (Tab moves to the next), click Sign → Add signature, place it, then Done → Download. Without an account you can do everything except the download, which asks you to create a free account first.
Updated 2 min read Counts toward edited-document downloads
This walkthrough takes a form you need to complete, a lease, a permission slip or a tax form, from upload to a signed PDF on your computer. It works on PDFs with fillable fields and on flat scans.
Step 2: Fill the fields
Click a field and type. Press Tab to jump to the next field and Shift Tab to go back. The To-do panel lists the fields still empty. If the PDF has no fields, you'll see No fillable fields found — click anywhere on the page to type: pick Text (T) and click on the line.
Step 3: Tick boxes and add the date
Use Check, Cross or Dot to mark printed boxes, and Date to place today's date in the format you choose.
Step 4: Create your signature
Click Sign → Add signature. Type your name and pick a handwriting style, or choose Draw, Upload an image, Capture with webcam, Add via QR code (sign with your finger on your phone), Add via text message or Add via email. Click Save and sign.
Step 5: Place it
Click where your signature should go. Drag a corner to resize it. Add initials the same way with Sign → Add initials.
Step 6: Download the signed PDF
Click Done → Download. Choose Keep fillable (fields stay editable) or Flatten (everything is drawn into the page), set the File name, and click Download.
If you're not signed in
You can do every step above as a guest. At Download, PDFBetter asks you to create a free account. Your draft moves into the new account, and the download continues where you left off. A free account includes 3 edited-document downloads a month; downloading the same unchanged document again doesn't count twice.
The signature looks too big or sits above the line.
Select it and drag a corner to resize, or nudge it with the arrow keys (hold Shift for bigger steps).
Can I print instead of downloading?
Yes: Done → Print. Printing counts as a download, so it also needs a free account.
The form came from a government site and won't fill.
If it's password-protected, unlock it first with Unlock PDF. If it has no fields, type over the lines with the Text tool.
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- Fill out a PDF formOpen the PDF and stay in Edit & fill with Fill out selected. Type into the form's own fields, press Tab to move between them, and click anywhere on a flat form to add text. Then choose Done → Download.
- Sign a PDF yourselfOpen the PDF, choose Sign → Add signature, create your signature (type, draw or upload) and select Save and sign, then click where it goes. Download with Done → Download. This adds a visual signature; to collect other people's signatures with evidence, request signatures instead.
- Request signatures from other peopleOpen the document and switch to Invite to sign. Add each recipient's name, email and role, choose In order or All at once, place each person's fields, then choose Send, check the title, message, reminders and expiry, and select Send.
- Download your edited PDF, fillable or flattenedClick Done → Download, choose Keep fillable or Flatten, decide whether to Include comments and sticky notes, and click Download. Downloading needs a free account; Free includes 3 edited-document downloads a month, and Pro is unlimited.