Drawn, Typed, or Scanned: Which Signature Should You Use?

"Make me a signature" hides a choice that matters. A drawn signature, a typed one in a script font, and a photographed pen signature all produce a PNG you can drop into a document — but they do not read the same way to the person receiving it, and they are not equally appropriate on a contract, an invoice, or an email footer.

This is a guide to picking between the three. If you already know which you want, the Signature Generator will produce it in about a minute.

The three types of electronic signatures

Before creating one, it helps to understand the options:

1. Drawn signature

You draw your signature with a mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen. The result looks natural and handwritten. This is the most personally representative type — it resembles how you'd sign with a pen.

Best for: Documents that feel formal, legal agreements where a "hand-signed" look is important, anything where you want your signature to look like your actual pen signature.

2. Typed signature

You type your name and choose a cursive or script font. The result is stylized and consistent — it looks the same every time.

Best for: Digital-first contexts where consistency matters more than authenticity, international documents where the recipient may not expect a Western-style signature.

3. Uploaded image of your pen signature

You sign a white piece of paper with a pen, photograph or scan it, and upload the image. The tool extracts the signature from the background, leaving a transparent PNG.

Best for: Getting a digital version of your actual pen signature with maximum authenticity.

Once you've picked one

Signvoy's free Signature Generator lets you draw or type a signature and download it as a transparent PNG — ready to place in any document, email, or design tool.

Step 1 — Open the tool. Go to signvoy.com/tools/signature-generator. No account required.

Step 2 — Choose your method.

• Draw: Use your mouse, trackpad, or finger (on touch devices) to draw your signature on the canvas. You can clear and redraw as many times as you like.
• Type: Enter your name, choose a font style (handwriting, script, or formal), and preview the result.

Step 3 — Adjust as needed. You can change the pen colour (typically black or dark blue for professional use), pen thickness, and for typed signatures, the font and size.

Step 4 — Download. Click Download. You receive a transparent PNG — the signature on a clear background, ready to drop onto any document or image.

Creating your initials separately

Initials are commonly needed alongside a full signature — for instance, initialing every page of a contract to confirm you've read it. Signvoy's free Initials Generator works identically to the Signature Generator but lets you create a stylized initials mark (e.g., "J.R." or "JS").

Using your signature image

Once you have the transparent PNG, you can:

In a PDF: Use the Sign PDF tool — it accepts both drawn signatures and uploaded signature images, placing and scaling them anywhere on the document.

In Word or Google Docs: Insert → Image, then resize and position the PNG on the document.

In an email footer: Most email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail) accept image uploads in the signature editor. Upload your transparent PNG for a professional-looking footer.

In presentations: Insert as an image in PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides. The transparent background means it sits naturally on any slide colour.

On invoices or proposals: Use in Canva, Figma, or your document design tool as a placed image.

Is a drawn or typed signature legally binding?

A handwritten-looking signature on a document does not automatically constitute a legally binding agreement. What makes an electronic signature legally valid in most jurisdictions (US ESIGN Act, EU eIDAS, UK Electronic Communications Act) is:

1. Intent: The signer intended to sign
2. Consent: The signer agreed to use electronic signatures
3. Association: The signature is linked to the specific document

A transparent PNG signature placed on a PDF satisfies these requirements for everyday agreements — but it's harder to prove after the fact compared to a platform like Signvoy that captures a full audit trail (IP address, timestamp, signer identity, document hash).

For high-value contracts, legal proceedings, or anything requiring court-admissible evidence, use a proper e-signature platform.

Frequently asked questions

Can I create a signature on my phone? Yes — the Signature Generator works in any mobile browser. Drawing on a touchscreen often produces more natural results than using a mouse.

Is the signature saved anywhere? No — the signature is generated in your browser and downloaded immediately. Nothing is stored on any server.

What format is the download? A transparent PNG. This is the most versatile format — it works in Office, PDFs, image editors, and web tools without showing a white box around the signature.

Can I use this signature to sign contracts legally? For self-signed documents where you're the only party, yes. For multi-party agreements or high-value contracts, use a proper e-signature platform with an audit trail.

Is there a difference between this tool and signing directly in a PDF? The Signature Generator creates a standalone image file. Sign PDF places a signature directly into a PDF and burns it in — the better choice if you have a specific PDF to sign right now.