Quick answer · the 30-second read
There are five main ways to create an electronic signature. All are legally valid. They differ in how they look, how they work, and how easy they are to verify or dispute. The method you use does not change whether the signature is legal. What it changes is the strength of evidence it provides. A typed name is quick and simple but easy to dispute. A certificate-backed digital signature creates an automatic, tamper-evident record that is very difficult to challenge. For most everyday documents, a simple method is fine. For high-value or regulated transactions, a more secure method gives you stronger protection.
The five methods at a glance
The table below gives the key details for each method.
Method | What it is | Best for | Security level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Type your name | You type your name into a field. The platform or document styles it as a signature. | Everyday low-stakes documents where speed matters | Basic. Anyone could type your name |
2 | Draw it | You draw your signature using a mouse, touchscreen finger, or stylus. | Any document where you want a personal feel; common on tablets and phones | Basic. No identity verification attached |
3 | Upload an image | You upload a photo or scan of your handwritten signature, which is placed on the document. | Documents where appearance matters; useful when working with existing signature images | Basic. Image could be copied by others |
4 | Platform-generated | A signing platform applies your signature with an embedded audit trail: time, device, IP address, and email used. | Business contracts, HR documents, supplier agreements. It's the most common method | Strong. Audit trail makes it much harder to dispute |
5 | Digital signature | A certificate-backed signature created using cryptography. Proves who signed and detects any change to the document after signing. | High-value contracts, regulated transactions, cross-border EU documents | Highest. Cryptographically verifiable; cannot be forged if properly implemented |
Each method in detail
1. Typing your name
You type your name into a designated field. The platform or document may style it automatically in a cursive or signature-like font, or it may appear exactly as you typed it.
This is the simplest electronic signature. It is legally valid. A typed name is an electronic signature under UK, EU, and US law and requires no software beyond a keyboard.
The limitation is evidence. Anyone could type your name. If a dispute arises, proving that it was you who typed it relies on surrounding context: the email thread, the timestamp, the circumstances of the transaction. There is no automatic record embedded in the document itself.
Best used for: low-value internal documents, quick approvals, situations where both parties know each other and a dispute is unlikely.
2. Drawing your signature
You draw your signature directly onto the document using a mouse on a desktop, or your finger or a stylus on a touchscreen. The result looks more like a traditional signature than a typed name.
Like a typed name, a drawn signature is legally valid but provides limited evidence of identity on its own. The visual resemblance to a handwritten signature does not make it more secure. Anyone with access to your device or a screenshot of your signature could reproduce it.
Where a drawn signature has practical value is familiarity and feel. Many people find it more natural, and for touchscreen users it is often the most convenient method. On a phone or tablet it takes seconds.
Best used for: the same situations as a typed name, such as everyday documents where the identity of the signer is not likely to be challenged.
3. Uploading an image of your signature
You upload a photograph, scan, or digital image of your handwritten signature. The image is placed onto the document in the designated signature field.
This method is common when someone wants their electronic signature to look identical to their physical one, or when they have an existing signature image file they use regularly.
The security limitation is the same as for typed and drawn signatures. An image file can be copied and reused by anyone who has access to it. Placing the image on a document does not prove that the image’s owner authorised the signing.
Best used for: documents where appearance matters and the parties involved trust each other. Not recommended for high-value or regulated transactions.
4. Platform-generated signature
This is the method most businesses use for day-to-day contracts and agreements. You sign through a dedicated e-signature platform, which captures your signature (whether typed, drawn, or pre-set) and embeds it in the document alongside a detailed audit trail.
The audit trail is what makes this method significantly stronger than the first three. The platform records:
- The email address used to access the document
- The IP address and device used
- The date and time of each action
- A log of every step taken during the signing process
This record is stored separately from the document itself and can be produced as evidence if the signature is ever challenged. It does not prove identity in the way a government-issued ID does, but it makes a successful challenge significantly harder.
Most platform-generated signatures qualify as advanced electronic signatures under the eIDAS framework meaning they are uniquely linked to the signer and detect any change to the document after signing.
Best used for: the vast majority of business documents, such as employment contracts, supplier agreements, non-disclosure agreements, service contracts, and any commercial document where a record of the signing is important.
5. Digital signature
A digital signature uses cryptography to do two things that no other method can: prove conclusively who signed, and detect any change to the document after signing.
When you apply a digital signature, the software creates a unique fingerprint of the document at that exact moment and locks it to your verified identity using a certificate issued by a government-approved authority. If anyone changes even a single word after you sign, the fingerprint no longer matches and the signature shows as invalid.
At the highest level, the certificate requires verified identity checks before it is issued, similar to opening a bank account. A qualified digital signature carries exactly the same legal weight as a handwritten signature in UK and EU law.
Best used for: property transactions, high-value contracts, regulated documents, cross-border EU transactions, and any situation where the identity of the signer and the integrity of the document must be provable beyond reasonable doubt.
For more detail on how digital signatures work, see What is a digital signature?.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Does it matter which method I use?
For most everyday documents, no. All five methods are legally valid electronic signatures, and the law does not require you to use a more secure method than the situation demands.
It starts to matter when a dispute is likely, when a regulator requires a specific standard, or when the document is high value. In those cases, a platform-generated or digital signature gives you much stronger evidence than a typed name or drawn squiggle.
Are all five methods legally valid?
Yes. Under the Electronic Communications Act 2000 in the UK, the ESIGN Act 2000 in the US, and the eIDAS Regulation in the EU, none of these methods can be rejected solely because it is electronic. The law does not prescribe which method you must use for most documents.
The exception is a small number of documents, such as wills in England and Wales, for example. These still require a wet-ink signature. The method of electronic signing is irrelevant for those documents because electronic signing is not permitted at all. See What documents cannot be signed electronically?.
Which method is most commonly used?
For individual use, typing your name or drawing your signature is most common. For business use, platform-generated signatures are the standard. Most organisations that send contracts electronically use a dedicated e-signature platform that handles the audit trail automatically.
Digital signatures with certificates are most common in regulated industries, high-value transactions, and cross-border EU documents where a qualified signature is required.
Can I use different methods on the same document?
In most cases yes. Different parties to a contract can sign using different methods. There is no general rule requiring everyone to use the same approach.
The exception is property deeds submitted to HM Land Registry, where the signatory and their witness must both sign through the same platform using the same method. See What documents cannot be signed electronically? for more on deeds.
Is a drawn signature more legally valid than a typed one?
No. The visual similarity to a handwritten signature does not affect its legal standing. A typed name and a drawn signature are both simple electronic signatures. Neither is inherently more valid or more secure than the other.
What matters legally is intent to sign. What matters evidentially is the audit trail attached to the signature. A drawn signature with no platform audit trail is no stronger than a typed name in a dispute.
