How to Request a Signature on a PDF for Free (Link or QR Code)

PDFly guide · Updated October 2026

Signing your own copy is easy. The harder part is getting someone else to sign: a tenant, a client, a supplier, a student's parent. Most services want everyone to create an account first. With PDFly you can send a plain link or a QR code, and the other person signs in their browser.

How it works

1. Open Sign PDF and choose your file. Pick the PDF you need signed (up to 20 MB).
2. Select "Request a signature".
3. Place the fields. Add a Signature field where the person should sign. You can also add Initials, Date and Text fields, for example for a printed name or an ID number. Drag them into position and resize if needed.
4. Choose how long the link stays valid and press Create signing link.
5. Send the link or show the QR code. Paste the link in email, WhatsApp or SMS. For someone sitting next to you, let them scan the QR code with their phone camera.
6. The signer completes the fields. They open the page, see exactly the fields you placed, draw, type or upload their signature, and press Finish.
7. You download the signed PDF from your status page.

What the signer needs

Only the link and a browser. No account, no app, no email address required. It works on a phone, which matters because many people sign from WhatsApp on the go.

What happens to the file?

For a signature request, the PDF has to be stored temporarily so the other person can open it. PDFly keeps it on the server only until the expiry time you chose, then it is deleted automatically. You can also delete a request yourself from the status page. If privacy matters more than convenience, use the self-sign option, which never leaves your browser.

When this is a good fit

• Rental or service agreements between two parties.
• Permission slips, receipts and acknowledgements.
• Quotes and purchase confirmations that need an approval signature.
• Internal forms such as leave requests or equipment handovers.

When it is not

This is a simple electronic signature. It records the signature image and the filled fields, but it does not verify who the signer is and it is not a certified digital signature. For documents where your country or the other party requires identity verification or a qualified certificate, use a dedicated service. For everyday agreements, a simple signature is widely accepted, but check what applies to you.