How to Add a Written Signature to Google Docs

Have you found yourself in a position where you needed to add a signature to a digital document? Perhaps you’re signing a contract or adding a professional flair to a letter. If you’re printing the document, it’s a simple case of signing after it’s printed. Of course, things are a little trickier if you want to email the document or print lots of copies of the same document.

Fortunately, if you do find yourself in a position where you need a signature on a Google Doc and want something a little more professional than just typing your name, there are a few ways you can add one.

Also read: How to Embed a Google Form Into an Email

Using the Built-in Drawing Tools

This is a good option if you have a drawing tablet or touchscreen. It’s also quite useful if you only have a mouse but may not look as good as a regular signature would.

To use the drawing tools for a Google Docs signature, follow these steps:

1. Go into the Google document you want to insert a signature into.
2. Click “Insert -> Drawing … ” at the top of the document, then New.

This opens a drawing canvas which is a handy tool for when you want to draw a picture for your document. You can add lines, arrows, shapes, text, and even import an image into the tool for editing. Though, for the time being, we’re going to use the Scribble tool to write our signature.

3. Click on the “Select Line” toolbar button and then on Scribble in the drop-down menu.

This lets you draw “freeform” onto the canvas, meaning you can scribble whatever you like onto it, like your signature! What’s more, if you have a drawing tablet or a touchscreen, you’ll be able to draw a signature directly onto the canvas.

4. When you draw your first line, a series of tools appear at the top right.

These let you set the thickness, color, and consistency of your lines. The last line you draw is highlighted in blue.

5. Once you’re done drawing your signature, click the “Save and Close” button, and your image i.e., the signature will appear in the document.

6. Click on the signature in the document to select it. A blue border along with small boxes will appear around the signature. Use the boxes to resize the signature.

Also read: 12 Google Docs Résumé Templates You Should Check Out

Using an Add-on

If using Google’s tools doesn’t produce the results you want, you can try an add-on instead.

1. Head to “Extensions ->Add-ons -> Get add-ons … ” in the toolbar to search for a suitable Google Doc extension.

While you’re free to experiment to search for “signature” and use the add-on that suits you best, there are a few good choices.

One of the add-ons that we like is “Simple Signature for Google Docs.” It’s a basic free add-on that is straightforward to use.

2. Click on the “Simple Signature for Google Docs” add-on in the search results and hit the “Install” button. Follow the on-screen instructions to install it properly.

3. Once installed, go to “Extensions -> Simple Signature for Google Docs -> Insert signature” in the toolbar.

4. In the Simple Signature window that appears in the right sidebar, type your name and choose one of the preset styles, or manually draw your signature. Another alternative is to upload your signature.

5. Once you draw the signature, click on the “Insert Signature” button to insert it into your document.

The signature now appears as an image in your document. You’re free to move it, resize it, or perform other photo-editing tasks on it.

You may also want to consider an advanced document-signing solution, such as DocuSign or HelloSign, though there are plenty of solutions to choose from.

Also read: How to Convert Google Docs to Microsoft Word (and Vice Versa)

Inserting an Image

If digital drawing isn’t for you, perhaps going back to paper is the solution. Of course, you’ll need to get the paper signature into a digital space so that you can use it in your document. This will require a scanner or a mobile phone with a decent camera.

1. Sign a piece of blank white paper or get a letter with your signature on it.
2. Use the scanner to scan your signature or capture its photo using your phone’s camera app. Send the picture to your computer. Then, crop the image so only the signature remains.
3. Next, import the image into Google Docs by clicking “Insert -> Image -> Upload from computer” in the menu bar. Once you choose the file, it will be uploaded.

Alternatively, save the Google Docs document that needs your signature, print it, sign the hard copy, then scan the whole thing and use that instead. However, you may notice a drop in the quality of the text after the printing and scanning process.

Also read: How to Create and Insert a Watermark in Google Docs

Using a Cursive Font

If drawing a signature isn’t working out and you can’t scan one in, you could use a script-styled font. It would be a chore to go through each font installed on your system to find one that looks good, so if you’d like to cut to the chase, you can use online tools that write your name in a signature style.

One nice option is Online Signature’s font signature tool. Open the website, enter your name, and choose font style and size.

There are many options to choose from, so you can create a signature that suits your style. You can also set the size of your signature and even add a slope to it if you want. Finally, click on “Create” and download the signature. Then, insert the image in Google Docs.

Also read: How to Use Google Docs in Dark Mode in Chrome

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you add multiple signatures in the same Google Docs document?

Yes, you can insert multiple signatures into the same document using any of the methods mentioned above.

How do I add a signature in Google Docs on mobile?

Capture a photo of your signature, and remove its background to get a signature with a transparent background. Open the Google Docs document on your mobile. Tap on the add (+) icon and select “Image -> From photos.” Choose the signature image.

How do I remove the background from a signature?

Use online tools like remove.bg or removal.ai to remove the background from your signature. Alternatively, use a desktop tool make your signature image transparent.