How to annotate and sign PDFs in Mail on your iPhone

In this post, I will show you how to annotate and sign PDF documents inside of Mail.

This tip is useful if you want to quickly respond to someone without needing to save, print and scan the PDF document in question.

Please note that to take advantage of this feature, your iPhone needs to run at least iOS 9.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Tap once on the PDF to preview it

2. In preview mode, tap a second time to reveal the markup icon

   • Latest versions of iOS: the tip of a pen in a circle

   • Older versions of iOS: a toolbox/briefcase shape

3. Doing this will automatically:

   • create a reply email

   • attach a copy of the PDF document

   • open the PDF in Markup mode

4. Use any of the annotation tools available (tap on the + sign to reveal them all):

   • pen, highlighter or pencil (in previous versions of iOS, only the pen is available)

   • a magnifying glass

   • a text box (icon with the letter T)

   • a signature

   • shapes (rectangle, oval, speech bubble and arrow)

5. To create a signature

   1. tap on "Add or remove" signature

   2. tap on the + sign

   3. draw your signature with your finger or a stylus or the Apple Pencil (compatible iPad)

   4. tap on "Done

6. Once annotated/signed, tap on "Done"

7. Add some explanations for the email recipient

8. Send your response with the annotated and/or signed PDF

Latest versions of iOS

Older versions of iOS

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And you, how often do you need to sign and/or annotate PDFs directly from Mail?

Let me know in the comments below!