Sign a PDF on your Mac in Safari or Chrome
- 1Save the PDF from Mail, WhatsApp, or your browser. Choose a folder you can find in Finder, such as Downloads, and keep the original copy.
- 2Open pdkef.com/sign in Safari or Chrome. Drag the PDF from Finder into the tool, or select it with the file picker.
- 3Add your answers and signature. Place text and check marks on the page. Draw your signature with the trackpad, type it, or choose a signature image, then position and resize it to fit.
- 4Download and review the finished PDF. The name begins with "signed_". Open that copy, check every page, and attach it to your reply. Your original file stays unchanged.
What Preview on Mac already handles
Preview can fill supported form fields, add text boxes to flat pages, and capture a signature from a trackpad, camera, iPhone, or iPad. It also offers AutoFill for contact details in supported forms. Apple's Preview signing guide explains those options. You do not need another tool if Preview already fits the job.
| What you need to do | Preview | PDkef |
|---|---|---|
| Add a handwritten signature | Capture with trackpad, camera, iPhone, or iPad | Draw, type, or choose a signature image |
| Complete a form with fillable fields | Fill supported fields; AutoFill where available | Place text and check marks on the page |
| Add text to a flat or scanned form | Add and position a text box | Click the page to add a text box |
| Mark a checkbox on a scanned form | Draw a tick or place an X with Markup | Place a check mark or cross |
| Redact sensitive text before sharing | Use Redaction Selection in Markup | Use the separate PDF redaction tool |
Preview also has a Redaction Selection tool for permanently removing selected text. In PDkef, use the Blur & Redact PDF tool when you need to hide details in a shared copy. A drawn shape placed over text is not the same as removing it from the file.
How to add a signature with Preview
- 1Open the PDF in Preview. If another app opens it, Control-click the file in Finder and choose Open With, then Preview.
- 2Show the Markup toolbar and choose Sign. Select a saved signature, or create one with the trackpad, camera, or a compatible iPhone or iPad.
- 3Place the signature and save a copy. Drag it to the signature line, resize it with the handles, and check the finished document before sharing it.
Prefer a typed signature or a signature image you already have? Open the PDF in PDkef's signing tool instead. Either way, follow the recipient's instructions if they request a particular signing method. Adding a visible signature does not create a certificate-based digital signature.
Free, open source, and available offline
PDkef processes the PDF locally, with no document upload, signup, or watermark. It is open source under the MIT license. Drafts and saved signatures stay in the browser you use; they do not automatically follow you to another Mac or your phone.
To work without a connection, install PDkef while online and let the required assets download. Test your chosen font and an export before going offline. Keep the source PDF available locally too, and check your save location if you do not want the finished copy in a folder that syncs to iCloud.