How to Fill and Sign a PDF Form in Acrobat Reader (Free)
You open a PDF form and can’t click into any fields to type — it’s a “flat” form (often a scan), so there are no interactive boxes.
Why: the free Fill & Sign tool in Acrobat Reader lets you drop text, checkmarks, and a signature anywhere on the page, whether or not the form has real fields. You don’t need the paid Pro version for this.
Step 1: Open Fill & Sign
- Open the PDF in Acrobat Reader.
- Choose All tools > Fill & Sign (or E-Sign > Fill & Sign in newer builds). On older versions it’s Tools > Fill & Sign.
Step 2: Add text and checkmarks
- Click the Add Text tool, then click where you want to type and enter your text. Drag the little blue handles to resize the text if needed.
- For checkboxes and radio buttons, use the toolbar’s Checkmark, Crossmark, or Dot; click each spot to place one.
- Use the Line to strike through text or the Circle to ring an option.
Step 3: Sign or add your initials
- Click Sign yourself (the pen icon), then Add Signature (or Add Initials).
- Choose how to create it:
- Type — enter your name and pick a handwriting style.
- Draw — draw with your mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen.
- Image — browse to a photo or scan of your real signature.
- Click Apply, then click on the form where the signature should go. Drag to position and resize it.
Step 4: Save the filled form
Choose Menu (or File) > Save As and save a copy. Your text and signature are now part of the PDF.
FAQ
Can I do this without installing anything? Yes — Fill & Sign is built into the free Acrobat Reader, and Adobe also offers it in Acrobat on the web.
My signature looks too big or crooked. Click it to show the handles, then drag a corner to resize or reposition before saving.
The form does have clickable fields. Then you can type directly into those fields — use Tab to jump between them — and only switch to Fill & Sign for the signature.