Add a Digital Signature Field to an Adobe PDF

Description

This article provides instructions for adding a digital signature field to a PDF that will allow yourself or others to sign a document electronically. These steps can be helpful when you receive a form via email that needs to be signed and returned but all steps will need to be completed electronically. Additionally, you can use these steps when creating your own Adobe PDF form to send to others for completion and/or signatures. 

Please Note: These steps require the use of Adobe Acrobat which is available for free to all UCO Faculty/Staff. Please reach out to the Service Desk if you need to gain access to the Adobe Acrobat software. 

Instructions

1. Open the, or create a new, document in the Adobe Acrobat program. 
2. Click on the Tools tab on the upper left of the window.
   
3. Under Forms & Signatures, click Prepare Form.
   
4. If prompted, make sure that 'Form field auto detection' is OFF and then click Start.
   
5. In the Prepare Form ribbon, select the Add a Digital Signature icon
   
6. Drag a rectangle to create the desired size of the signature field. Optionally label the field for the intended signer (e.g. Approver, etc.)
   
   *Note: Do not select Required field if there are multiple signers on one document.
7. Repeat this process until all needed signature fields are in place.
8. When finished, click Close in the Prepare Form ribbon to exit the form editor.
   
9. Save your PDF; the document is now ready for signing.