Digital signature: How to create a digital signature
Related Videos: How to Create Electronic and Digital Signature and Sign PDF and Word Document Online (May 2024).
If you create digital application letters, invoices or contracts, they must also have a signature. In this practical tip, we will show you how to create a genuine signature on your computer. Note that this is only a digital signature and not the encryption method, which is also known as a digital signature.
Create signature digitally in Outlook
Create a digital signature in MS Outlook simply but professionally. You can then copy the signature into any other document without loss of quality. To create them, follow these steps:
- Open a new message and click in the input field.
- Select the "ink input". You can find this in the multifunction bar, which is located under the "Message, Insert, Options, Format text" tab. If you do not have the bar, click with the right mouse button next to the tab and place a checkmark next to "Show Ribbon".
- If you are working with a tablet or touchscreen PC, you can write your signature in the lined field using a pen or your finger. If your device does not support finger input, you can draw your signature with the mouse.
Create digital signature with GIMP
If you don't have Microsoft Outlook, you can create your signature with the free image editing program GIMP.
- Start GIMP and open a new file.
- In the dialog box that appears, open the advanced settings and select "Transparency" as the fill.
- As in Outlook, now draw your signature using your finger, pen or mouse.
- To keep the transparent background, save the signature as a .webp file. To do this, select File -> Export in GIMP.
Electronic signature and its validity
You can use electronic signatures in exceptional cases, but they are not always valid.
- Consumer loans and guarantees, as well as cancellations of rental and employment contracts are not valid with a digital signature.
- In these cases, the electronic signature is even legally excluded. Contracts of this type must therefore be signed by hand.
- Contracts, such as purchases of cars or electrical appliances, are not, however, bound to the written signature. You can therefore also sign sales contracts of this type electronically.
- In any case, you should note that contracts that are electronically signed are not as secure as hand-signed and subsequently scanned documents. Therefore caution is advised here.
Further information and legal information can be found in our article on the use of digital signatures.