Make a Transparent Signature
You can create a stamp out of your signature so that signing PDF documents is as simple as stamping your name on it. This article will show you how to do it.
Step 1: Prepare Your Signature
The trick is to create a custom stamp out of your signature. So the first step is to get your signature on your computer:
- Sign on a clean sheet of paper using the biggest signature you'd ever expect to need (it's easy to shrink a signature, harder to enlarge one cleanly)
- Scan it into FileCenter's Edit tab
- Zoom the display to 100-150%
- Go to the Windows Start button and type Snipping Tool in the Search box, then open the Snipping Tool
- Draw a rectangle close around your signature
- Save it as a PNG file
Now we need to remove the white background. If you have a favorite graphics program, you probably already know how to do this. If you don't, follow these steps:
- Go to http://pixlr.com
- Click the Pixlr E or Advanced Photo Editor option
- Click Open Image
- Browse to your signature and open it
- On the left you'll see tools; select the Wand Select
- On the toolbar above the image, set Tolerance to about 20
- To the right of that setting, de-select Contiguous
- Click anywhere in the white
At this point, the selction should be tight around your signature. If it isn't, or if it chops off parts of the signature, type Ctrl D to remove the selection, adjust the Tolerance up or down, and try the selection again. Once the selection looks good:
- Go to the Edit menu > Clear (or hit the Del button on your keyboard)
- Go to the Select menu > Deselect (or type Ctrl+D)
- Go to the Page menu > Trim
Your image now has a transparent background (it looks like a checkerboard, but that just tells you that there is no background).
Finally, go to File > Save. Be sure to select PNG as the format and make sure that Transparent is turned on. Click Save As.
Now give it a name and click Apply. It will save the image to your Downloads folder.
Step 2: Import Your Signature
Now you have a transparent signature that you can use anywhere. What we care about is getting it into FileCenter. Open a PDF in FileCenter's Edit tab, then do this:
- Click the drop-arrow next to the Stamps button (it's the button on the far right side of the PDF editor's toolbar)
- Select Show Stamps Palette
- On the stamps palette, click New to add a new collection, and give it a name, like "Signatures"
- On the right, select From Image
- Browse out to the signature you just made and open it
Your signature will now appear as a stamp in the palette. You can close the palette now.
Step 3: Use Your Signature as a Stamp
You're done creating your signature stamp. It's ready to use. So let's sign something:
- Click the drop-arrow next to the Stamps button
- Scroll down until you see your signature
- Select it
- Stamp it on the PDF
- Use the corner handles to resize it to fit the signature line
A better solution starts right here.

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