Handwritten e-signature online: your own signature, placed with a finger on the screen

A phone, internet and a finger are enough: about a minute and the document is signed. This is not clicking “I accept”, but your own handwritten signature on a screen, whose shape can later be examined by forensic methods.

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A handwritten e-signature in SignSafe is a handwritten signature placed with a finger on the screen of a phone, tablet or computer on a PDF document, in a tool for document workflow and collecting signatures. According to a legal opinion it meets the written form, and signatures can be examined forensically. The signer does not register or install an app.

What usually gets in the way

Clicking “I accept” is not a signature you can later tie to someone

When a dispute arises, it is hard to show who really made the declaration. Handwriting can be examined, a click cannot.

A paper signature has to be scanned and sent on

A scan can be illegible, and every resend is another email, courier or visit.

You are unsure a signature on a screen carries any evidential value

Without a clear basis it is hard to explain the method to a client. A legal opinion answers this: a handwritten signature and the written form.

What you get

1 signature

your own, placed with a finger on the screen

Written form

met, according to a legal opinion on a SignSafe signature

0 apps

to install and 0 accounts to create

How it works

Open the document in a browser

In a browser, with a one-time code from the email (no password, no account) or with the SignSafe account password. No app to install. You can also sign on a device standing at a point of service (workshop, shop, collection point) or on a courier’s tablet.

Fill in the fields

Tick the consent and enter the details the sender asks for: first name, last name, PESEL (after ticking “Brak”, an identifier, for example for foreign nationals) and date.

Sign with a finger

You draw your usual signature in the field: with a finger on a touch screen, or with a mouse or touchpad on a computer. You can clear it and redraw.

Confirm the document

You press “Sign”. Once everyone has signed, the finished PDF goes to the sender’s email and document list.

What you can do

Placing a handwritten signature with a finger on a phone or tablet
Signing a PDF with completed fields
Collecting signatures remotely or during a meeting
Forensic comparative examination of a signature when needed

Who it is for

Companies that want a client or employee to sign with their own recognisable signature
Practices and offices where the signature is placed on a tablet during a client visit
Teams collecting signatures remotely that care about the evidential value of the signature
People who do not want to create accounts or install apps just to sign one document

Handwritten signature online and other types of signature: what works when

In everyday speech “e-signature” covers many things: from ticking a consent box, through typing a name, to a qualified signature with a certificate. A handwritten signature online is a separate case. According to a legal opinion, a SignSafe signature is a handwritten signature, not an electronic signature within the meaning of eIDAS. It is the same movement of the hand as on paper, only made with a finger on a screen and recorded in a digital document, and the declaration meets the written form.

The shape of such a signature is a personal feature that a handwriting expert can examine. A handwritten signature works especially well where the signer has no qualified signature and no time to get one. We cover the types of signatures more broadly in the guide what an e-signature is.

When you need a qualified signature, and how we connect it

We do not compete with the qualified signature; it is a different form of signature that complements the handwritten one. SignSafe’s own handwritten signature is not a qualified electronic signature, though according to a legal opinion it meets the written form and is equivalent to one in effect. When a document requires a qualified signature, for example the electronic form under Art. 78¹ of the Civil Code, we can connect one in SignSafe alongside the handwritten signature. SignSafe does not support notarial deeds. More on the legal basis: legal security.

Handwriting verification of a signature: what it means

According to the opinion of Pracownia Grafologiczna (an expert in forensic examination of documents and handwriting) of 29 August 2024, SignSafe signatures allow forensic comparative examination of handwriting. Such examinations end in non-categorical identifying conclusions and in non-categorical and categorical eliminating ones, which are freely assessed like any evidence. It is not an automatic check in the app but an examination that can be commissioned when the outcome matters in a dispute.

A limit: certain motor features, such as pressure and speed, cannot be verified. The expert recommends full-form, legible signatures with first name and surname. The opinion makes comparative verification possible; it does not guarantee authenticity or confirm identity.

The legal basis is described on the legal security page.

Practical tips for the signer

Sign with a full, legible signature including first name and surname, as the handwriting expert recommends, not a quick shortcut.
On a small phone screen the signature may come out smaller, so rotate the device or use a tablet if you have one.
Before confirming, read the document and check the completed fields.

The whole process is described in the guide how to sign documents online.

Security and legal basis

According to the legal opinion of Gałecki and Associates of 21 August 2023, a SignSafe signature is a handwritten signature and meets the written form (Art. 78 of the Civil Code); at the very least the declaration is valid in the documentary form (Art. 77² of the Civil Code).

According to the opinion of Pracownia Grafologiczna of 29 August 2024, SignSafe signatures allow forensic comparative examination of handwriting; pressure and speed cannot be verified.

Data is stored on servers in the European Union (OVH hosting).

It is not a qualified electronic signature, though in effect it is equivalent to one (the written form). When a qualified electronic signature is required (the electronic form under Art. 78¹ of the Civil Code), we can connect it in SignSafe. SignSafe does not support notarial deeds.

Legal and handwriting-expert opinions

Legal and handwriting-expert opinions to download

Gałecki and Associates, legal adviser Tomasz Gałecki · 21 August 2023

Legal nature of a signature placed by hand on the touch screen of an electronic device

A signature placed in SignSafe is a handwritten signature, and a declaration of intent signed in the app meets the requirements of written form. If the signature did not qualify as handwritten, the declaration is still valid in documentary form. In legal effect it is equivalent to a qualified electronic signature: both preserve written form.

Download the opinion (PDF)

Pracownia Grafologiczna, forensic document and handwriting examiner · 29 August 2024

Feasibility of comparative examination of handwriting produced with SignSafe

Signatures placed in SignSafe allow forensic comparative handwriting examination, ending in non-categorical (typifying) conclusions and in both non-categorical and categorical elimination conclusions. As with any evidence, these are subject to free evaluation. Limitation: certain motor features (such as pressure and tempo) cannot be verified. The expert recommends full-form, legible signatures with first name and surname.

Download the opinion (PDF)

The opinions are in Polish. Summaries are a translation of their conclusions, not a legal opinion.

Pricing

One simple price: PLN 69 net a month

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They trust us

Companies from many industries use SignSafe: from staffing agencies and real estate to catering, transport and medical services.

Customer reviews

“With SignSafe we can sign real-estate brokerage agreements and reservation agreements with clients remotely, which speeds the process up considerably. Confirming terms with prospective buyers is quick and convenient, even with people abroad. It is one of the few tools that lets you sign a reservation agreement online, removing the need for in-person meetings.”

Dorota R.Property Gold — real-estate sales agent

Reviews are translated from Polish.

Frequently asked questions

What is a handwritten signature online?

A handwritten signature online is your own signature placed with a finger or stylus on a touch screen and recorded on a digital document. In SignSafe it is used to sign PDF documents on a phone, tablet or computer.

How is it different from clicking “I accept”?

A handwritten signature is your own recognisable signature, while a click carries no features of handwriting. Features of a handwritten signature can be assessed in handwriting verification.

Can a signature on a touch screen be verified by a handwriting expert?

Yes. According to the opinion of Pracownia Grafologiczna of 29 August 2024, SignSafe signatures allow forensic comparative examination of handwriting. Pressure and speed cannot be verified, and the conclusions are freely assessed like any evidence. It is best to sign with a full, legible signature including first name and surname.

Is a handwritten signature online a qualified signature?

No. According to a legal opinion it is a handwritten signature, equivalent in effect to a qualified electronic signature (both preserve the written form), but it is not one. When a qualified electronic signature is required (the electronic form under Art. 78¹ of the Civil Code), we can connect it in SignSafe. SignSafe does not support notarial deeds.

Does SignSafe support a qualified signature?

Yes, we can connect one. When a document requires a qualified electronic signature, we offer to connect it alongside the handwritten signature. We settle the details in a conversation about adoption.

Can I sign with a finger on a phone?

Yes. The document opens in the browser of a phone or tablet and you sign with a finger on the screen. No app to install and no account to create.

Does a signature on a screen meet the written form?

Yes, according to the legal opinion of the law firm Gałecki and Associates of 21 August 2023. A SignSafe signature is a handwritten signature, and a declaration of intent signed in the app meets the requirements of the written form (Art. 78 of the Civil Code). This is a summary of an opinion, not legal advice; if in doubt, consult a lawyer.

What if the signature does not meet the handwritten-signature requirement?

Then, according to the legal opinion, the declaration is valid in the documentary form (Art. 77² of the Civil Code). It is a fallback, not for acts requiring the written form on pain of invalidity.

Does the handwritten signature work on a computer?

Yes. On a computer you draw the signature with a mouse or touchpad, on a touch screen with a finger. Once everyone has signed, the sender receives the finished PDF.

What does the signature summary page contain?

SignSafe attaches a signature summary page (a signing record, in Polish and English) to the signed document. It holds a unique SignSafe certificate identifier, the document name and number, the date and time of sending and signing, the sender’s details (first name, last name, email) and, for each signer: first and last name, email, identification number in the system, IP address, the device used to sign (for example an iPhone), date and time of signing and the signing method. So it shows who signed, when and from which device. It complements the option of handwriting verification, but it is not legal advice or a guarantee of how a dispute ends.

Updated: 2026-10-05

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