Before you start
- A readable PDF with editing permission. Protected documents may need an opening password and a separate owner or editing password.
- A writable location, or a plan to save a copy and preserve the original.
- iPhone and iPad are supported. Use a finger or a stylus supported by your device for handwriting tools.
Step by step
Open the PDF and check permissions
Choose the document in PatchDoc and unlock it if prompted. Reading access does not necessarily grant editing access; protected edits may require the owner password.
Annotate important content
Highlight selectable text or use the pen to mark up the page. Image-only scans may not have selectable text; pen marks or text stickers can still be useful.
Place a handwritten signature
Choose Add Signature from the file menu, draw it, and position and resize it on the correct page. Keep the entire signature inside the page boundary.
Organize the pages
Open Page Management to move, rotate, duplicate, delete, or import PDF pages. Check the selected page numbers before deletion or reordering, then review the resulting sequence.
Save and reopen
Use Save to write back when allowed, or Save As to preserve the original. Reopen from the actual output location and check annotations, signature position, page order, and count.
Check your result
Reopen from the final saved location, check the signature, annotations, page order, and count, then share that verified file.
Scope and limitations
- A placed handwritten signature is a visible mark. It is not a certificate-based digital signature and carries no promised legal status.
- PDF tools focus on annotations and page operations, rather than arbitrary rewriting or reflow of the original body text.
- PDF compression re-renders pages and may flatten searchable text and editable structures. Check the exported result before sharing.
Troubleshooting
The PDF opens but cannot be edited
Check owner-password restrictions and whether the source is read-only. Use an authorized editing password or save to a writable location.
Text cannot be selected in a scan
The page may be an image. Use pen annotations or text recognition as appropriate; recognition does not reconstruct the original layout.
A saved mark is misplaced
Keep stickers within page bounds and reopen a saved copy. For external providers, also confirm the write completed successfully.
Common questions
Do I need an Apple Pencil?
No. Finger input is available; stylus support depends on the device and system.
How do I keep an unmarked original?
Keep a source copy before editing and use Save As for the annotated delivery file.
Instructions reflect the reviewed feature set. Control placement may vary by version.