How to sign a PDF on Android without installing an app

Android has no built-in PDF signing, but you don't need a Play Store app: open the free signer in Chrome, load the PDF, draw or type your signature, and download the signed file. It all runs in the browser, the document is never uploaded.

Last verified: July 17, 2026

Sign a PDF free, no upload

Sign a PDF on Android in four steps

  1. 1

    Save the PDF locally

    From Gmail or Drive, download the attachment first (Gmail: tap the download arrow on the attachment). It lands in your Downloads folder, that local copy is what you'll sign.

  2. 2

    Open the signer in Chrome

    Go to the free signer and tap Choose file; Android's file picker opens. Pick the PDF from Downloads, it loads on the device, nothing is sent.

  3. 3

    Add your signature

    Draw with your finger (zoom in first for a smoother stroke), type your name in a handwriting style, or photograph your paper signature with the camera, the background is removed automatically.

  4. 4

    Download the signed PDF

    Tap download and the flattened PDF is saved to Downloads. Share it from there with Gmail, WhatsApp, or any app.

Android specifics worth knowing

  • Why not the usual apps?

    Adobe's mobile Fill & Sign route means installing an app and signing into an Adobe account, and many OEM PDF viewers only annotate. For the one-off 'sign this and send it back', a browser page with no install and no account is simply less friction, and unlike most web tools, this one doesn't upload the file either.

  • Sign the local copy, not the cloud copy

    If a PDF lives in Drive, download it before signing. Signing the downloaded copy keeps the whole flow on-device; re-upload to Drive afterwards only if you want to.

  • Works offline once loaded

    After the page loads you can switch to airplane mode and still open, sign, and download, the signer has no server dependency for the document.

Frequently asked questions

Does this work on any Android phone?
Yes, it's a standard web page, so any recent Chrome (or Firefox/Samsung Internet) on any Android phone or tablet works. There is no app to be compatible with and no minimum Android version beyond running a modern browser.
Is my document uploaded when I sign on Android?
No. The PDF is rendered and signed by code running in your browser on the phone. You can confirm it: load the page, enable airplane mode, and complete the signing, it works because nothing depends on a server.
Where does the signed PDF end up?
In your Downloads folder, like any browser download. Open the Files app (or your browser's Downloads list) to share it via email or messaging apps.

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Sign a PDF free, no upload
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