How to initial every page of a PDF
Contracts, leases and loan papers often ask for initials on every page, so that nobody can later claim a page was swapped. On paper that takes a minute with a pen. In a PDF it usually means placing the same mark twenty times, which it does not need to.
Open Sign PDFDraw, type or upload your signatureStep by step
Open the document in Sign PDF
Drop the PDF onto Sign PDF. A Word document or a photo of a page works too; it is turned into a PDF first. No account and no certificate are needed.
Make your initials
In the Initials card, choose Draw, Type or Upload. Typed initials take up to six characters in one of three handwriting styles, and an uploaded photo has the paper around the ink removed automatically. Choose Blue or Black under Ink colour first if it matters to you.
Place them once, where they belong
Clicking your initials puts them on the page you are viewing. Drag them onto the initials line or into the corner, and drag a corner handle to resize them. They are placed smaller than a full signature, so they rarely need much adjusting.
Copy them to every page
With the initials selected, press "Copy to all pages". The button shows your page count. They appear in the same spot on every page, and pressing it a second time does not stack a second copy.
Sign, date and save
Go to the signature page, place your full signature from the Signature card, and add the signing date with Date, written out or in the numeric format you choose. Save Changes writes everything into the PDF.
When one page needs them somewhere else
Copy to all pages uses the same position on every page. If something is printed in that spot on one page (a table running to the margin, a stamp) click the copy on that page and drag it clear. Remove takes a copy off a page that should not have one, such as a cover sheet.
What initials on a PDF do and do not prove
Initials and a signature placed this way are pictures on the page, which is what most people asking for them expect. They do not lock the document: a page could still be changed afterwards without anything showing. When the document must be provably unchanged after signing, sign it with Digital Signature, which makes any later change detectable.
Common questions
Do I need an account to initial a PDF?
No. Sign PDF works without signing in and without a certificate.
Can I type my initials instead of drawing them?
Yes. Choose Type in the Initials card, enter up to six characters and pick a handwriting style. Drawing and uploading a photo of your initials on paper both work too.
Are the date and name saved as text?
Yes. Name and Date are placed as real text, so they stay sharp and can be searched and copied. Text in a script the standard PDF font cannot show, such as Arabic, Bengali or Chinese, is saved as an image so it still looks right.