What is an Electronic Signature?
An electronic signature is a legal and secure way for one or many people to sign a digital version of a document. Electronic signatures carry the same legal weight as wet ink signatures when completed through legitimate online services. eSignatures are secure, trusted worldwide and can often replace handwritten signatures.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to create an electronic signature that you can use to sign emails, contracts and documents online like you would in person.
How to Set up an eSignature to Sign Email Documents
A digital signature can add an extra layer of security to an email message by showing the recipient that you signed it, not someone else. Most email clients offer digital signatures in their applications. Outlook, for example, offers a sign feature in its permissions menu.
You can also use an online signature service, like jSign, to create an online signature. Once you have your electronic signature created, you can use it to legally sign emails to show that you are the one writing and responding to them. Here’s how:
- Register for a free jSign trial account and log in.
- Choose one of four options jSign offers to create a digital signature:
- Draw your electronic signature with a stylus or your finger right on a touch screen.
- Type your name into the document’s signature field.
- Upload an image of your signature to apply to documents.
- Use an external signature pad to add an electronic signature to your document.
- Once you have your eSignature, you can use it to sign your emails electronically.
Types of Email Signatures
There are four main types of electronic signatures you can use to sign emails:
- Write your e-signature on a touch-screen computer or tablet using your finger. You can also use your mouse or trackpad!
- Upload a scanned or photographed image of your signature to apply to documents.
- Type your name into the document’s signature field. You can choose from one of several font options.
- Use an external signature pad to add an electronic signature to your document.
Which Email Clients Let Me Sign Digitally?
Almost all modern email clients support digital signatures. To ensure your email client supports digital signatures, we recommend checking on their support website. Here is a non-exhaustive list of email clients that support digital signatures:
- Gmail
- Android Email App
- Outlook 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, Outlook for Mac
- Outlook.com
- Office365
- Mailbird
- Apple Mail (OSX)
- Thunderbird
More Features of jSign
jSign is more than just an electronic signature service. With jSign, you can:
- Create signature placeholders on documents and send them to multiple parties for signing.
- Ensure the authenticity of signatures and keep documents free from tampering with jSign’s blockchain features.
- Track and manage your timestamped documents.
- Enable signing location restrictions, enforce two-factor authentication and view the certificate of completion, which shows IP, browser, device and location of signers sent with each document.
- Create custom templates for your most-used documents.
- Set the signing order for your documents.
The Benefits of eSigning Emails with jSign
jSign offers many benefits when you choose eSigning over traditional paper and ink signatures. With jSign electronic signatures, you can skip the print-scan-sign-mail routine. jSign allows for swift electronic signatures directly on emails, expediting the agreement process. It’s also more convenient, allowing you to sign emails from your mobile device on the go. jSign email signatures saves you money on printing and shipping costs. jSign utilizes blockchain technology to provide a secure and tamper-evident audit trail of every action taken on the document. This ensures peace of mind for all parties involved.
Sign up for a jSign account
When you’re ready to sign your emails with digital signatures, you can sign up for a jSign free trial account. This gives you access to all the features of jSign, including email signatures, so you can test out its capabilities and ensure it’s right for your business needs.
FAQs
How do I sign a document sent by email?
You can use an eSignature to sign a document sent by email. First, download the document from your email into a local computer folder or a cloud document storage app like Google Drive. Then, either use a photo editing tool to create an eSignature or sign up for a free trial of jSign. Log in to your account and upload the document. Create an eSignature and use it to sign your document, then send it back to yourself or other signers.
How do you sign a document in PDF by email?
There are several methods for signing a PDF by email. First, download the PDF from your email to your device. Then, follow these steps depending on your device’s operating system:
- MacOS: Use the Mac Preview app to open the PDF file. Next, click the “Signature” icon from the menu. From there, you can either insert or create a signature.
- Windows: Open the PDF with Adobe Acrobat Reader. Next, from the pane on the right side of the window, select “Fill & Sign” to add your signature.
- iPhone: Tap and hold down on the file you want to open, then select “Markup.” From there, you can click the plus icon to add your signature.
- Android: Open the file using the Adobe Acrobat Reader app. You’ll see a pen icon, where you can select “Fill & Sign.”
How do you ask someone to sign a document in an email?
You can request a document signature in an email using an online electronic signature service like jSign. Register for an account, then upload the document you need a party to sign. Add placeholder signatures in the desired areas and add signers. Next, click “Finish”. jSign will email the document to the parties you designate, who can sign it and send it back to you for review and approval.
