Overview
Adobe's Fill & Sign functionality is available for free within the Adobe Acrobat Pro DC app -- UO members who have access to Adobe's Creative Cloud and Document Cloud (i.e. current staff and faculty) will have access to use this functionality. If you aren't sure, refer to the Affiliation Resource Access Rules for your UO affiliation. Unfortunately, Adobe prohibits any exceptions to these access rules.
Fill & Sign is intended to be used by the signer of a document -- it does not provide functionality for document creators who need someone else to sign their document. For document creators requesting signatures from others, emailing the document to the signer along with a link to these instructions may fulfill their needs. For large volume signature requests or complex workflows, Adobe Sign Enterprise may be a better solution.
Information
Using Fill & Sign
- Open the PDF file you would like to sign in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.
- Select Fill & Sign from the right-side Tools menu.
- You'll be asked What do you want to do? Select the blue button Fill and sign.
Note: The blue Request signatures button visible at this point requires access to Adobe Sign Enterprise. It is not necessary to use Fill & Sign.
- The Fill & Sign ribbon will become available at the top of the page, and the Add Text tool will be selected by default. Choose the Sign tool to sign the document. (You can also choose the black circle next to the Sign tool to change the color of your signature, if needed.)
Then choose Add Signature
Note: If you have done this before, your saved choice will appear instead of the Add Signature option. If you would like to reset your signature, please consult the Resetting Your Saved Signature section below then come back to this step.
- Provide a signature using one of three methods:
- Type - Type your name and Adobe will generate a signature using a signature-style font. This should be adequate for most users. You can change the style to use a different signature-style font, if you prefer.
- Draw - Draw your signature using an input device such as a mouse or tablet and stylus. This may result in a more accurate, but less natural-looking, signature.
- Image - Import a scan of your signature -- Adobe will use the image as your signature.
- Keep the box next to Save signature checked if you'd like to use this signature to sign future documents. Then select Apply.
- Your cursor will become the signature you just created, allowing you to "stamp" your signature anywhere on the page. Click to place the signature.
Once the signature is placed, you'll be able to:
- Move it by clicking-and-dragging the signature
- Resize it by clicking and dragging the blue circle in the bottom-right corner of the signature's bounding-box.
- Re-sizing the signature can also be done by clicking the little or big A in the blue control menu.
- Remove it by using the Trash icon in the blue control menu.
- Perform other actions, which are available via the ••• icon in the blue control menu.
- Once the signature is placed and re-sized as desired, click the blue Next button in the Fill & Sign ribbon.
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC will require that the document be saved directly after adding the signature. This is to ensure no changes are made to the document's text and other content that other parties may not be aware of. Click Save to continue.
- A Save As PDF dialog will appear, allowing you to choose where to save the document on your computer. Recent folders you have accessed will be displayed by default, but you can select the blue button labeled Choose a Different Folder to choose a different location on your computer that isn't shown. Once you have selected the folder of your choice, click Save.
- (Optional) You'll next be asked how you would like to send your file. This step is not required -- after completing the previous step, your signed document should be saved to your computer. Select the X in the top-right corner of this dialog if you would not like to use one of the options shown. The three options available will be:
- Get a Link: A read-only copy of the document will be uploaded to your Adobe Document Cloud account -- any users to whom you share the link will be able to view it. Choose Get a Link, then Create Link to create the link. Then choose the blue Copy Link button to copy the link so you can easily paste it into an email or chat message, as desired.
- Send a Copy: Adobe will send a read-only copy via email on your behalf. Enter any email addresses you would like to send this copy to, a subject line (which is the file name of the document, by default), and a personal message to be included in the email body.
- Request Signatures: This method is not recommended. Though it states this method requires no purchase, Adobe is ending their free version of the Adobe Sign program, which this method requires. If you need to send a document for multiple signatures, Adobe Sign Enterprise may be a better solution for you.
Resetting your saved signature
If at any point you would like to reset your signature entry and create a new one, you can do so by choosing the Sign Yourself option and selecting the Remove icon. You can go through the process described in the Using Fill & Sign section above.
Note: Be sure that you want to reset your signature before doing so as a warning prompt will not appear.
More Resources
- Adobe provides more information on their Fill & Sign functionality in their Fill & sign PDF forms how-to article.
- If you are running into issues using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and its functionality, send a help request via the Software & Application Help Request page.
- If you think you may need more functionality than Fill & Sign can provide, or laws and/or regulations governing your signing process require a certificate-backed digital signature, you can learn more about the functionality provided by Adobe Sign Enterprise.