Printing a document to sign it, then scanning or photographing it back into digital form, is one of those workflows that survives purely out of habit — there's a faster path that skips the paper entirely.
Create your signature once, as an image
Draw or type your signature, download it as a transparent PNG, and keep that file somewhere easy to find — you'll reuse the same image every time you need to sign something, rather than starting from scratch.
Most PDF viewers can place an image directly
Modern PDF readers (including free ones) typically have an "insert image" or "fill and sign" tool that lets you drop your signature PNG directly onto the document at the exact spot needed, resized as necessary.
If the PDF is flat with no fillable fields
Some PDFs aren't set up with an interactive signature field, but you can still usually place an image annotation on top of the page in most PDF tools — the signature sits visually on the document even without a "smart" signature field.
Save and send from the same device
Once placed, save the signed PDF and send it directly — no printer, no scanner, no photo of a paper document with shadows and skewed angles. The whole process takes a couple of minutes once your signature image exists.
Keep the transparent version, not a screenshot
A screenshot of your signature often carries a white background that looks like a visible box over the document. The transparent PNG avoids this entirely and looks far cleaner once placed.