How to sign a PDF on a Mac so the signature does not disappear
Sign with Preview's Markup tools, why the signature can vanish after saving, the workaround people use, and how to check the file before sending.
The free way: Preview
- Open the PDF in Preview and show the Markup toolbar.
- Click the Sign button and create a signature with the trackpad, the camera or your iPhone.
- Click the signature to place it, then drag and resize it.
- Save.
When the signature goes missing
A signature added in Preview is an annotation sitting on top of the page. Apple's own forums have thread after thread of signatures that look fine in Preview and are gone when someone else opens the file. The workaround shared there is File > Print, then Save as PDF, which saves the page as it looks, signature included.
Check before you send
Close the file and open the saved copy again, ideally in a different app or a browser. If the signature is there, it will be there for the person you send it to.
The one click way
Simply PDF writes the signature into the page itself, then opens the saved file again to make sure it is there before telling you it is done.
Questions
Why did my signature disappear from a PDF signed in Preview?
Preview adds the signature as an annotation on top of the page, and some apps do not show it. Printing to PDF, or a tool that writes the signature into the page, avoids that.
Is a signature added in Preview legally binding?
That depends on where you are and what the document is. A drawn signature is an image of your signature, not a certified digital signature. If it matters, ask the person who needs it what they accept.