How to sign a PDF on a Mac by drawing on your iPhone
Draw your signature on your iPhone or iPad with a finger and use it in Preview on the Mac, or sign on paper and capture it with the Mac's camera.
The problem
You need to sign a PDF on your Mac, and the signature you draw with a trackpad looks like a child's attempt at yours.
Can I use my iPhone to sign a PDF on my Mac?
Yes. Preview can take a signature drawn on your iPhone or iPad:
- Open the PDF in Preview and click Show Markup Toolbar.
- Click the Sign button, then Create Signature.
- Choose your iPhone or iPad. Preview names the device; it must be signed in to the same Apple Account and nearby.
- Sign on the phone's screen with your finger, then tap Done.
- Back on the Mac, click the signature to place it, then drag and resize it.
How do I add my signature with the Mac's camera?
Sign a sheet of white paper in dark ink. In the same Create Signature window, choose Camera, hold the paper up so the signature sits on the line, and Preview turns it into a clean signature.
Why does my iPhone not show up in Preview?
Both devices need the same Apple Account, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, and the phone nearby and unlocked.
Our take
Use the camera with a real pen for anything formal. A finger on glass gives a signature that is yours but thicker and rounder than on paper, while the camera captures the one your bank and your landlord have already seen.
Will the signature stay when I send the PDF?
A signature added in Preview can go missing in some other apps. Read how to sign a PDF so the signature stays before you send anything important. Simply PDF saves signatures you draw, type or bring in from a photo, and writes them into the page itself.
Questions
Can I use my iPhone to sign a PDF on my Mac?
Yes. In Preview's Sign menu, choose Create Signature, then your iPhone. Sign on the phone and the signature appears on the Mac.
Why does my iPhone not show up in Preview?
Both devices need the same Apple Account, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on and the phone nearby and unlocked.