How to Sign a Document in DocuSign (No Account Needed)

You don't need a DocuSign account, an app or a printer to sign something sent through DocuSign. Everything happens from the email in your browser or on your phone. The only step that makes people pause is adopting a signature, and that's the step worth getting right, because changing it afterwards isn't always possible.

How to sign a DocuSign document

1. Open the email from DocuSign and click Review Document.
2. Read the document. Scroll through the pages or use the thumbnails on the right.
3. If you see the Electronic Record and Signature disclosure, tick the box to agree to sign electronically, then click Continue.
4. Click the yellow Start tag. It takes you to the first field you need to fill in.
5. Click the Sign field. The first time, you'll be asked to adopt a signature.
6. Choose a style, draw your signature, or upload an image of it, then click Adopt and Sign.
7. Complete any other fields, such as initials, the date, text boxes or tick boxes.
8. Click Finish. The sender gets the completed document.

Choosing how your signature looks

Option	What you get	Good for
Select style	Your typed name in a signature font	The quickest option
Draw	Sign with your mouse, trackpad or finger	A signature that looks like yours on paper
Upload	A photo or scan of your signature	Matching a signature you've used before

All three are valid electronic signatures. Drawing it on a phone screen with your finger is usually neater than with a mouse.

The catch: check the signature before you adopt it

Look closely at the name and initials before you click Adopt and Sign. DocuSign fills them in from the name the sender typed, so a misspelt name or a nickname will appear in your signature too. Edit the name on that screen first. According to answers on DocuSign's community forum, once you've adopted a signature in a document, you may not be able to change it in that envelope, and the sender would have to void it and send a fresh one.

Do you need a DocuSign account?

No. You can sign as a guest straight from the email. The only difference is that without an account, you create and adopt your signature each time you sign. With a free account, your adopted signature is saved, and you can change it in your profile.

Signing on your phone

The process is the same on a phone: tap Review Document in the email and follow the same steps. Turn your phone sideways if the fields are small, and use Draw to sign with your finger. Pinch to zoom in on the text before signing, because it's easy to scroll past small print on a small screen.

What if you don't want to sign?

• Need to ask a question? Contact the sender before signing. You don't have to finish straight away.
• Not the right person? Look for the option to assign the document to someone else in the Other Actions menu.
• Want to say no? Choose Decline to Sign from Other Actions and give a reason.
• Need more time? Close the window. You can come back to the email later, as long as the document hasn't expired.

After you've signed

When you click Finish, the sender receives the completed document, and you'll normally get an email with a link to download your own copy. Save it somewhere safe. If it's a contract, it's worth keeping a PDF in a folder rather than relying on the email link, so you can find it when you need it.

Signing when there are several signers

Some documents go to more than one person in a set order. If you're not first, you'll only get the email once the people before you have signed, and the document may already show their signatures. If you're first, the next person gets their email as soon as you click Finish. Either way, you only need to complete the fields tagged for you, which DocuSign highlights, so you won't accidentally fill in someone else's section.

Is it safe to sign in DocuSign?

DocuSign itself is widely used for contracts, but scammers copy its emails. Before you click Review Document, check that you're expecting the document, that the sender's name makes sense, and that the email isn't pushing you to act within minutes. If anything feels off, contact the sender through a phone number or email you already have, not the one in the message. A real DocuSign request never needs your bank login to sign.

If you're choosing a signing tool for your own business, my roundup of e-signature tools compares the options, and contract management software covers keeping signed agreements organised.

My verdict

Signing in DocuSign takes a minute: Review Document, agree, click Start, adopt your signature and Finish. The bit to slow down on is adopting the signature, because your name comes from the sender and may not be easy to change once it's on the document. Read before you sign, check the email is real, and save your own copy of the finished document. For more on handling PDFs, see why PDFs work for business documents.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a DocuSign account to sign a document?

No. You can sign from the email as a guest.

How do I sign a DocuSign document on my phone?

Tap Review Document in the email, then follow the same steps and draw your signature with your finger.

Can I change my signature after adopting it?

Account holders can change it in their profile, but within one document it may not be changeable once adopted.

What does the yellow Start tag do?

It takes you to the first field you need to complete.

What happens after I click Finish?

The sender receives the completed document, and you can download your own copy.

Can I decline to sign a DocuSign document?

Yes. Choose Decline to Sign from the Other Actions menu.