How to fill out forms, sign documents, and create signatures on your iPad

If you work with documents from the iPad, you'll be glad to know that you can create signatures, sign PDFs, and fill out forms without complicating your life. Apple includes very powerful Markup tools on the iPad, and there are also web services and apps that make the whole process even easier when you need something more advanced.

In this guide you'll see how to do it all: from generating multiple signatures with Markup on iPad, to placing your signature on contracts, fill out interactive and non-interactive forms, enable Apple Autofill, and, if needed, send documents to third parties for signature with a web-based solution like Nitro Sign or complete them with PDFgear. Now you know How to fill out forms, sign documents, and create signatures on your iPad.

Create and manage signatures with Markup on your iPad

The iPad automatically saves the signatures you create to reuse when you need them, so you can have several versions (name, initials or nickname) and choose the one that best suits you in each document.

To create a new signature in a Markup-compatible app, follow these steps in a very quick and straightforward tap: open the document, tap the Markup icon and access the signature options.

In a supported app, tap the Markup icon and enter the toolbar.
Choose the option to add signature and select “Add or remove signature”.
Create a new signature by tapping the corresponding button to open the signature panel.
Next to “New Signature,” use the arrow to indicate the type: name, initials or nickname.
Sign with your finger or Apple Pencil and confirm with Done to save it to your iPad.

If you later want to delete any, go back to “Add signature” and go to “Add or remove signature”; from there you can delete signatures you don't need With a touch.

Also on iPhone: Signatures synced across devices

On iPhone the process is practically identical, so if your mobile phone is more convenient for you to capture the signature, you can create it there y will sync with your iPad if you use the same Apple ID.

Open a document in a compatible app and tap the icon Marked.
Go to the add signature option, enter “Add or remove signature” and create a new one.
Choose the type (name, alias or initials), sign with your finger and confirm with OK to save.
To remove, go back to “Add or Remove Signature” and delete any from the list.

Thanks to iCloud, your signatures are available across devices and you can insert them into the iPad without repeating the process.

Insert your signature into PDF documents and compatible apps

Once you have your signature, placing it on a document is a matter of seconds: open the PDF or image, activate Markup and choose the appropriate rubric for drag it to the exact placeYou can learn more about how to place it in a document between Apple devices.

On a Mac, you can open any PDF or photo, activate the markup tools (pen icon), and create/use your signature if you don't have one already. This helps you synchronize signatures between Mac, iPad and iPhone.
On iPhone and iPad, a quick way to access Markup is to tap screenshot, tap the dial icon and select Signature from the more options menu.

When you insert the signature on the PDF, you can adjust its size and move it to the signature area of the document freely, just like you would do on paper but unprinted.

Fill out PDF forms from Files on iPad

If you've been emailed a form, save the attachment to the Files app and open it from there to use Markup. This lets you write in empty fields even when the PDF is not interactive.

From Mail, open the attachment and choose Share > Save to Files.
Open Files, tap the PDF, and select Markup with the pencil icon in the top right.
Tap the More button and select Text to add text boxes.
Drag these boxes onto the form fields and enter the necessary information.

This technique is ideal for PDFs that don't have interactive fields. If the document does, simply tap and type directly in each area. without the need for additional frames.

Fill and sign with PDFgear: app and online version

PDFgear offers you edit pdf on iPhone and also an online tool in the browser. Both allow Fill out and sign PDFs without watermarks and without registration.

With the iOS app, make sure you have the PDF in the Files app and then use Fill & Sign mode to complete the fields. If they're not interactive, add text boxes manually and adjust their size. size and color from Properties.

Open the PDF with PDFgear and switch to the Fill & Sign option to complete the fields.
If there are no fields, insert a text box wherever you need it and write.
For your signature, use the signature button to create it by typing, drawing, or using an image; then insert it in the correct location.
Finish by tapping Done and use the menu to save or share the edited form.

If you prefer not to install anything, PDFgear's online filler allows you to upload the document, fill in the fields (or create text on top if they are not interactive), sign and then print or download the resulting PDF, with the option to choose a fillable or non-fillable version.

Fill out forms with Google Drive (editable PDFs only)

Google Drive also allows you to fill out forms, but keep in mind that it only works with PDF files that are already editableIf the edit button doesn't appear, you won't be able to write; in those cases, use Files with Markup or PDFgear.

Upload the PDF to Google Drive and choose the option Complete the application form if available.
Tap each section to enter your details, confirm with Done, and save the document when finished.

When not editable, the practical alternative is to add text boxes with Markup on iPad or PDFgear's text tool, as you prefer.

Apple AutoFill on iOS and iPadOS 17 for PDFs

Apple has incorporated an AutoFill system that uses saved information to complete typical personal data in PDF forms. Not all fields are supported, but it saves you time on the most common ones.

Turn it on in Settings > Safari > AutoFill and enable “Use Contact Info” and t if applicable.
Open the PDF (ideally from Files), tap the Fill button, and fill in the fields using the suggestions that appear.
Confirm with Done when you are finished to save changes.

If your form doesn't recognize certain fields, combine it with Markup or PDFgear to fill in the missing fields, and you'll have a workflow fast and flexible.

Advanced e-signatures with Nitro Sign: receiving and sending contracts

When you are sent a contract to sign from Nitro Sign, the process is very straightforward and you don't need to register: just open the email, tap on “Sign the document”, review the agreement, and complete the signature and date fields. If you're looking for an alternative way to secure and sign your documents, SignEasy offers Face ID integration.

Click the link in the email to view the document in your iPad's browser.
Play in the fields of Company y Date to enter them; when sent, it will be validly signed.
You will receive a confirmation email with a link to view and save the signed document.

If you are the one who needs to send a contract for others to sign, Nitro Sign allows you to prepare the document on the web from any Apple device, add recipients and place signature and date fields with a very intuitive interface and browser-based.

Upload or open the file in Nitro Sign and click on Add recipient.
From the left menu, drag the Signature (and Date) field to the exact area of the document.
Tap Continue, compose a message (or use the default), and finish with Request signature.
On your dashboard, you'll see the status of each shipment and how many contracts are still pending signature.

Beyond convenience, this type of solution can reduce costs associated with the signing process by more than 55% in some cases and centralizes signing, security and storage in one place, which also simplifies tracking.

Edit PDFs and customize your signature appearance with Nitro Pro

If you need to adjust the content of a PDF before sending it, Nitro Pro makes it easy to both add and edit existing text, and then close the changes with a click.

To add new text, use the function write text from the main tools menu.
To edit, activate Edit mode, double-tap the text block, and make any necessary changes.
You can change the font, style, and color by selecting the text and using the floating formatting bar.
When you're done, confirm with the button Finalize to establish the changes.

Is your signature not the way you wanted it? In Nitro Pro, you can configure its appearance from File > Preferences > Digital Signature > Appearances. There, choose the signature you want to modify, go to Edit and decide whether you want to display a graphic (from a file) or no image, saving the new appearance.

Even if a drawn signature doesn't look "perfect," it can still be legally valid, just like a handwritten signature on paper; still, having a well-configured appearance helps you maintain consistency in all your documents.

Practical tips for working with signatures and forms on iPad

Keep the essentials close at hand: Add Nitro Sign to your Safari bookmarks to access the panel in seconds, and save PDFs you receive by email to Files so you can use them again. Marked whenever you want.

If you have an Apple Pencil, signing freehand on iPad is comfortable and natural; if not, the finger works just as well. Learn to write and draw on documents to get more out of it.
Remember that the Markup signature is not the same as a signature with digital certificate, which is essential for some official procedures.
Manage multiple signatures: full name for contracts, initials for quick validations, and a nickname if it suits you on certain internal documents.
In collaborative flows, Nitro Sign allows you to keep track of the status of each contract and avoid email stalking.
If a PDF is not fillable, combine Files + Text Boxes or PDFgear's Text tool to cover any missing box.

To edit content and layout within a PDF, consider using specific tools such as Nitro Pro or Documents 5; to fill out and sign without installing anything, the online version of PDFgear and Nitro's signature links cover almost all cases, directly from Safari.

When you close a document, always check that the signature is correctly placed, the date is correct, and that any text boxes are not obscuring important information. Doing this final check prevents you from rework and resubmissions.

With these options, your iPad transforms from a PDF viewer into a complete signing and editing station: with Markup you create and manage reusable signatures, with Files you fill out forms (whether interactive or not), with PDFgear you have a free way in the app or on the web to complete and sign, and with Nitro Sign you can receive or send contracts for legal signature without registration, adding fields and controlling the status of each document; all supported by Apple's AutoFill and, when necessary, by the advanced edition of Nitro Pro for polish text and appearance before shipment.

How to fill out forms and sign documents on your iPhone