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How to sign a PDF in Microsoft Edge

Checked 20 September 2026

Edge opens PDFs by default on Windows and includes inking tools that Microsoft describes as letting you "take notes, fill out and sign PDF forms". For a straightforward form, this is free and takes about a minute.

Here is how, followed by what Edge will not do — so you know before you start whether you need anything else.

Step by step

  1. 1Open the PDF in EdgeRight-click the file, choose Open with, and pick Microsoft Edge. On Windows, Edge is usually the default already, so double-clicking the file will do it.
  2. 2Fill in any real form fieldsIf the PDF has proper form fields, you can click straight into them and type. Tab moves to the next field.
  3. 3Add text to a flat formUse the text tool in the PDF toolbar, click where you want to write, and type. Position it by dragging the box — there is no snapping, so give yourself a moment to line it up.
  4. 4Sign with the Draw toolSelect Draw, pick a colour and line width, and sign with your mouse, trackpad or a touchscreen. A touchscreen with a stylus gives by far the best result.
  5. 5Save the documentPress Ctrl+S, or use Save in the PDF toolbar. Keep a copy of the original if you might need to start again — your marks are editable annotations, not part of the page.

What Microsoft Edge can't do

  • The signature cannot be saved. Every document means drawing it again, and it will look different each time.
  • Your marks stay as annotations. Anyone with a PDF editor can select, move or delete what you added.
  • Microsoft states plainly that you can view and print in the reader, but you cannot edit the contents of the PDF.
  • There is no date field, no tick field, and no way to save the result as a Word document.

Finish it here instead

Type onto the page, tick the boxes, add the date and a signature you can reuse, then save a flattened PDF. It runs in this browser — your file is not uploaded.

or drop a file here · nothing is uploaded

Questions

Can I save a signature in Edge for next time?
No. Edge has no signature store, so each document means drawing it again. PDFpad saves one on your device and reuses it.
Can the recipient delete my signature?
If it is an Edge annotation, yes — a PDF editor can select and remove it. To prevent that the document needs flattening, which Edge does not do.

Sources

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