“Sign a PDF” can mean two different things. A visual signature places an image, initials, date, or text on a page. A certificate-backed digital signature uses cryptographic identity and can show whether the file changed after signing. Choose the method your recipient requires.
Use a visual signature when appropriate
Convert for You’s Sign PDF workflow is designed for a visible mark. You can place a signature image, initials, date, or short text on the page. It is not a certificate-backed digital signature and should not be described as one.
Sign a PDF with Convert for You
- Upload a document you are authorized to modify.
- Create or select the signature asset.
- Place the signature, initials, date, or text on the correct page.
- Review the placement and submit the document.
- Open the result and confirm that the mark is readable.
Keep an unmodified original. Rewriting a PDF can invalidate an existing certificate signature or other document integrity markers.
Protect the signed result
If the document needs access control, Protect PDF can apply password encryption and permissions. Password protection does not prove who signed a document, so treat it as a separate control.
When to use a certificate provider
Use a qualified digital-signature service when a contract, regulator, employer, or legal process requires identity verification, tamper evidence, or a certificate chain. Confirm the requirement before placing a simple visual mark.