Learn How To Use PDF Digital Signatures- It's Helpful During COVID-19

A signature is crucial in every vital document as it often acts as a form of authorization. Whether you have a paycheck, bank draft, receipt, or legal document, you must append your signature to show the approval. There are many ways to add signatures to a file, e.g., PDF digital signature, wet ink signature, electronic signature, etc.

While the manual paper ink signature is a trusted form, it can be time-consuming, especially when many people need to sign the document. If you are looking for a quick, safe, and stress-free way to add signatures to a PDF document, then the digital approach is a perfect option, especially during COVID-19. We've designed a detailed tutorial guide that explains how to use PDF digital signatures. Read on!

Part 1. What Is Digital Signature?

Digital Signature is a unique form of authentication to prove the genuinity of a document. It's not just a signature in the literal sense. Rather it's an advanced way to verify content and its sender.

All digital signatures are unique, making it impossible to change or copy them in any manner. Therefore, it ensures that the person signing a contract is whom they claim to be and that their signature is genuine. By establishing a thorough audit trail that makes every transaction with a contract or legal document traceable, also safeguards documents against manipulation.

Part 2. How To Add PDF Digital Signature?

Now that you know what a digital signature is, let's move a step further into how to add digital signatures to PDFs.

You must have the right tool to add digital signatures to a PDF document. Countless PDF digital signature tools have been developed. However, only some of them offer quality services to end-users. The majority often distort the file quality after adding a digital signature.

If you need a simple yet effective program to add digital signatures to your PDF file, Wondershare PDFelement is what you need. With this software program, you can add as many digital signatures as you want without compromising the file's content. The software allows you to create unique digital signatures freely and quickly.

Besides digital signatures, Wondershare PDFelement - PDF Editor lets users add handwritten signatures to their documents. Additionally, you can upload signatures directly from your local drive. Add premium effects such as background removal, changing an image's background to black and white, and uploading signatures.

Wondershare PDFelement is one of the simplest tools to append digital signatures on PDF documents. The user layout is nicely designed with extensive features. In addition to adding signatures, the software enables you to create, convert, compress, merge, and print PDFs. You can use it to edit, annotate, and protect PDF files without hassles.

How To Add Digital Signatures to PDF With Wondershare PDFelement

Install Wondershare PDFelement from its official website and launch it. When it opens, follow the instructions below to save digital signatures to a PDF file with the software:

Step 1 At the bottom left corner of Wondershare PDFelement's quick start page, locate the Open PDF button and click on it to import the PDF document to PDFelement.

Step 2 Next, select Protect from the top menu bar and some options will automatically pop up underneath. Click Sign Document, and the response page below will immediately appear:

Step 3 Should you have a digital signature on Wondershare PDFelement, kindly select it and click on the appropriate button to add it to the PDF file. However, try creating one if you still need to get a digital signature. To do that, click New ID> I want to create a new digital ID> Next.

Add your new digital signature and start validating PDF documents.

How To Add Handwritten Signature to PDF With Wondershare PDFelement

Apart from digital signatures, Wondershare PDFelement also supports signing documents with handwritten signatures. Following the procedures below to append a handwritten signature to your PDF:

Step 1 Launch Wondershare PDFelement, and upload a PDF file to sign.

Step 2 A couple of PDF editing features will appear at the top menu bar upon completing the above. Select Comment and choose Signature from the sub-menu.

Step 3 Click on + Create to draw your signature. Select Upload, Draw, or Type to create handwritten signatures.

Upload- allows you to import an image file with your signature.

Draw- lets you use a freehand drawing tool to create a handwritten signature.

Type- enables you to enter your signature in the form of words. It could be your name or initials.

Step 4 Once done, click OK to add the signature to the PDF file. After that, save the document to your hard drive.

Part 3. PDF Digital Signatures Help You in COVID-19

Since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019/2020, there have been stringent rules on how citizens of a country should move. No more social gatherings. Everyone must maintain social distancing to avoid the spread of the deadly disease.

Many businesses shut down. However, some maintain remote work. You need a digital signature for a company working remotely that needs to validate the content of a document. This form of signature is highly convenient for both the client and the customer. You don't have to meet with every signee to append signatures.

Another benefit of digital signatures is their legal validity. Digital signatures are unique for everyone. No two persons or entities can have the same digital signature. Additionally, this type of signature enhances collaboration. It optimizes workflow within an organization, thereby hastening productivity.

Part 4. Difference Between Digital Signature and Electronic Signature

A digital signature is a well-known identity verification technique often used to authorize documents. It's a secured form of signature mostly used by big organizations to protect their documents. Different from electronic signatures, which rely on simpler authentication techniques, such as phone PINs and email addresses, digital signatures apply more advanced authentication procedures, e.g., certificate-based IDs, to confirm the identities of signers.

Both forms of signatures are authorized forms of validation. However, the digital type of signature is more advanced than the electronics. Additionally, digital signatures are unique and more secure, unlike electronic signatures, which could be forged.

Part 5. eSign PDF with Electronic Signature

Wondershare PDFelement is an excellent PDF editing software loaded with mind-blowing features. Apart from digital signature and handwritten signature introduced in the previous part, the software supports electronic signature via a cloud base service called Document Cloud. This Cloud lets one or more users append electronic signatures on PDFs with complete ease.

Steps To Add Electronic Signature With Wondershare Document Cloud

Add or send PDFs for electronic signature with Wondershare Document Cloud following the steps below:

Step 1 Visit the official webpage for Wondershare Document Cloud, type your details correctly in the given fields, and click on the appropriate button to log in to your account.

Once Document Cloud opens, locate and click Upload Files to import a PDF file you wish to save on the cloud service. After selecting the file, click Open to upload it.

Step 2 Next, locate the Sign icon on the left sidebar of your screen. The interface below will pop up as a response to your action:

From the three signature options, tap on the Initiate icon underneath Request Signatures. Once done, choose the PDF file to sign from your local drive or Wondershare Document Cloud.

Step 3 Enter the email addresses of the signer and receivers. Wondershare Document Cloud also allows you to import a CSV file to add email addresses in batch. Set the signing order and click Next.

Step 4 In the next window, create Signature/Initial, Date, Company, or other fields as needed.

Step 5 Set up the message to receivers and click Send. Then, the PDF will be delivered to the signers. You can log in and track the status at any time.

Check this video below to learn how to get a signed contract in remote work during COVID-19.

Conclusion

Digital signatures are helpful. Adding a digital signature to a PDF document is a simple task to execute and is very helpful during COVID-19. Use the tutorial guide above to upload a digital signature today for free. All techniques introduced are simple to employ, fast, and cost-free.