How to Add a Signature in Microsoft Word

We’re living in the digital age where most contracts and agreements change hands over the internet. Adding your signature to a Microsoft Word document is the ultimate way to authenticate it and give it a personal touch. In this guide, I’ll be showing you different ways to add a signature using MS Office 2019.

Inserting a Handwritten Signature

1. Sign your name on a plain piece of paper.
2. Use a scanner to record the document or a camera to capture a clear image and save it in the JPG or PNG format on your computer.

   

3. Open MS Word and insert the saved signature into your document by clicking on Insert then select the Pictures icon.

   

4. On the window that appears, select This Device and locate the saved signature and click Insert to add it to your document.

   

5. If the signature is too big, you can simply edit it. Click on the Picture Format tab and use Crop to resize.

   

6. You can now drag the image with your mouse to the signature section of the document.

Using the Quick Parts Feature

If you want information like your job title, phone number, or email address into the signature, you can use the Quick Parts feature. Here’s how to do it:

1. Type the text you want under the inserted signature.
2. Use your cursor to highlight both the signature and the additional information.

   

3. Click Insert and navigate to Quick Parts.

   

4. Click on the Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery option, the “Create New Building Block” box opens.

   

5. Next to the “Name” category, write the title of your signature.

   

6. In the “Gallery” box, select AutoText.
7. Complete the process by clicking OK.

   

8. When you want to use this signature, place the cursor where you want to insert it then Go to Insert > Quick Parts > Auto Text and select the name of your signature block.

   

Inserting a Signature Line

The Signature Line command marks the place where to sign the document with an X.  Here’s how to do add signature lines to MS Word:

1. Place your cursor where you want to sign the document.
2. Click Insert then select Signature Line.

   

3. Click on Microsoft Office Signature Line.
4. In the “Signature Setup” box, write the name, title, and e-mail address (optional) of the signer in the appropriate boxes.
5. Click OK and the signature line will appear in your document.

   

Using the Draw Feature

This works best if you are using a touch-enabled device. You can draw your signature using your pen, touchpad, or a regular mouse. Here’s how it works:

1. Click on Draw and choose your pen type.

   

2. Use your pen or mouse to draw your signature in the appropriate section of the document.

   

Using Third-Party Apps

If the functionality in Word doesn’t offer enough options for you to insert a signature, you can use third-party apps like PandaDoc, SignNow, and Smallpdf to quickly sign and send your documents. Here’s how to use Smallpdf to sign a Word document.

1. Convert your document into a PDF if it isn’t already in this format. You can use the “Save As” feature on MS Word and select “PDF” as shown below.

   

2. Now open Smallpdf, then go to the Tools tab and select eSign PDF.

   

3. Drag and drop your document into the toolbox.

   

4. Choose your preferred signing style and create your electronic signature.

   

5. Adjust the signature then click Finish & Sign to sign and Download your signed document.