A photo of a signature on paper rarely looks clean. The paper comes out grey, shadows creep in from the edges, and the file is far too big for the form. Here is how to turn that photo into a clean signature image that fits.
Step 1: Sign on the right paper
- Use plain, unlined white paper. Lines get picked up as part of the signature.
- Use a black or dark blue pen. Pale ink breaks up in photos.
- Sign a few times and pick the best one. Make it fairly large so the strokes stay clear when the picture is made smaller.
Step 2: Take a good photo
- Put the paper flat near a window, in daylight.
- Hold the phone straight above it, so the paper is not at an angle.
- Keep your hand and phone from casting a shadow on the signature, and skip the flash. Glare can wash out the ink.
Step 3: Clean it up
- Open the clean signature maker.
- Choose your photo. It stays on your device and is never uploaded.
- Look at the preview under the photo. The paper and shadows are removed and the signature is cropped to fit.
- If the strokes look thin, raise the ink strength. If bits of paper texture appear, lower it.
- Pick the ink colour and how much space you want around the signature.
Step 4: Choose JPG or PNG
- JPG has a white background. Choose it when a form asks you to upload an image of your signature.
- PNG has a transparent background. Choose it when you want to place your signature on a document and the paper colour should not show.
Step 5: Set the size your form needs
Read the form’s instructions and note the size in pixels and the maximum file size in KB. Enter the width, the height and the maximum size, then press Create signature file. The signature is fitted inside the size you chose without being cropped, and the quality is lowered only as far as needed to fit the limit. Sizes differ from form to form, so use the numbers on your own form.
If you only need to change the size of a signature image you already have, use the photo and signature resizer.
If the result does not look right
- The signature looks faint or broken. Raise the ink strength, or retake the photo with a darker pen and more light.
- Paper texture or shadow shows. Lower the ink strength, and retake the photo with the paper flat and evenly lit.
- Lines from ruled paper appear. Sign on plain paper instead.
- The photo is sideways. Use the rotate buttons.
- Nothing is found. Retake the photo closer, with a darker pen on white paper.
Check before you upload
- The signature is easy to read in the preview.
- The background is clean white (JPG) or transparent (PNG).
- The size in pixels and KB matches what the form says.
- It is the signature you normally use on your documents. Some forms compare it with other records.
This makes a clean image of your handwritten signature. It is not a certificate-based electronic signature, so check whether your form or office needs a specific kind.
Ready to try it? Make a clean signature image