In short: If you ever signed a scanned document saved as PDF, you can extract that signature and save it for reuse - in contracts, forms, or your email signature.
When do you need this?
A few recurring situations:
- Recurring contracts - You sign the same type of document every month. Instead of printing, signing by hand, and rescanning - reuse a signature you already have
- Government forms - Tax forms, social security, and bank PDFs that arrive as PDFs and require a signature
- Email signature - Adding your handwritten signature as an image at the bottom of every email gives a professional look
- Internal documents - Approvals, declarations, and recurring organizational paperwork
Only your own signature
Important to note: this tool is meant for extracting your own signature only. Using someone else's signature without their permission - whether to paste it on a document or for any other purpose - is prohibited.
Difference between scanned and digital signature
| Type | What it is | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Scanned signature | An image of your handwritten signature | Pasted as an image on PDF documents |
| Secure digital signature | An encrypted file that authenticates identity | Required for legal contracts with verification |
Most everyday uses - internal contracts, organizational forms, consent and approval forms - work fine with a scanned signature as an image.
How to save the signature properly
After extracting, save it correctly:
- PNG format - preserves transparency if present, no quality loss
- Clear name - e.g.,
my-signature-2026.pngso you can find it easily - Safe location - keep it in a folder you can locate, not in a downloads folder that gets cleaned
What if the background comes out white?
If you scanned the signature on a white sheet, the white background is part of the image. Two-thirds of the time it's not a problem - it just blends with the white background of the document.
If the background is in the way (e.g., on a colored document), you can remove it in a few clicks with any basic image editing tool.
Extract now with Kovetz PDF
Kovetz PDF's signature extraction tool shows all images found in a PDF and lets you pick and download. No installation, free.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to extract a signature from a PDF?
Your own signature - yes. Extracting someone else's signature without their permission may constitute misuse and is prohibited. This guide deals only with your own signature.
Will the extracted signature look clean without a white background?
When the signature is embedded in the PDF with transparency - yes. If it was scanned on a white sheet and embedded as an image on a white background, the white background will remain. In that case, you can remove it with any basic image editing tool.
Is the extracted signature good enough for contracts and official documents?
Usually yes - provided the source PDF was reasonable quality. For formal legal needs that require authentication, check what the receiving party specifically requires.
What if the extracted signature looks blurry?
Output quality depends on the source PDF quality. If the document was scanned at low resolution, the signature will reflect that. If you have a higher-quality scanned copy - try that one instead.
Can I extract a signature from a password-protected PDF?
No - you need to remove the password protection first to access the content.