How to Sign a PDF on Mac Without Printing It

By NUR Technologies · October 28, 2026 · 4 min read

Printing, signing and scanning a document is a waste of paper and time. On a Mac you can sign a PDF directly. Here are two ways, and one honest note about what a signature like this is.

Option 1: Preview (free, built in)

1. Open the PDF in PreviewDouble-click the file.
2. Show the Markup toolbarClick the Markup button in the toolbar.
3. Create your signatureClick the Sign button and choose how to create it: with the trackpad, with the camera on a signed sheet of paper, or from an iPhone.
4. Place itClick your signature to add it and drag it to the signature line. Save the file.

Option 2: Rivet

In Rivet, the Sign tool lets you draw with the trackpad or import a photo or scan of your signature (the paper becomes transparent). You drag it onto the page and choose to apply it to one page, the last page or all pages.

1. Open SignDrop the PDF on Rivet and choose Sign.
2. Draw or importDraw your signature, or import a photo or scan.
3. Drag it into placeMove it onto the page and pick which pages get it, then save.

What this kind of signature is

Both ways place an image of your handwritten signature on the document. That is enough for most everyday paperwork, but it is not a digital signature with a certificate. If a contract or an authority requires one, check what they accept.