How to make, scan, save, and sign a PDF on Android or Chromebook

On Android and ChromeOS, Print often doubles as make a PDF. Google Drive and Files handle the saving and sharing.

Button names can vary slightly by phone maker, but the path is usually the same.

Save a PDF you received

Tap the PDF or its download arrow. If it opens in a browser, tap the menu and choose Download.

Look in:

• Files > Downloads
• Files by Google > Downloads
• The Downloads section in Chrome
• Google Drive, if you chose Save to Drive

Rename the file while you still remember what it is.

Turn a webpage or file into a PDF on Android

In Chrome:

1. Open the page.
2. Tap More > Share.
3. Choose Print.
4. At the top, select Save as PDF.
5. Tap the PDF or save button.
6. Choose a folder and save.

Google's official Chrome instructions confirm the same route.

Many Android apps also offer Print inside Share, Export, or the three-dot menu. When the printer list opens, choose Save as PDF.

Make a PDF from Word, Excel, or PowerPoint on Android

Open the file in its Microsoft app, tap the three-dot or File menu, choose Print, select Save as PDF, and save. Some versions also show Export > PDF.

Microsoft keeps the current Android and iOS paths in its mobile PDF guide.

Scan paper with Google Drive

In the Google Drive app:

1. Tap New or the camera/scan button.
2. Choose Scan.
3. Photograph the page in good light.
4. Adjust the crop, color, and rotation.
5. Add more pages if needed.
6. Save the result as a PDF in Drive.

On some phones, Files by Google or the camera app also has a document-scanning mode. A scan tool is better than a normal photograph because it straightens the page and groups multiple pages into one PDF.

Make a PDF on a Chromebook

1. Open the item.
2. Press Ctrl + P.
3. Set Destination to Save to PDF.
4. Check pages, layout, margins, and scale.
5. Select Save.
6. Choose Downloads or a Drive folder.

For Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, you can also use File > Download > PDF document.

Write on or sign a PDF

Open the PDF in your device's PDF viewer or Google Drive. Look for a pen, Annotate, Markup, or Fill & Sign option. If your built-in viewer only displays the file, open it in a trusted PDF app.

Save a copy first. After signing, close the file, reopen it from Files or Drive, and confirm the signature is still present.

Share without attachment problems

For a small PDF, tap Share and choose email, Messages, WhatsApp, or another app. For a large or private PDF, share it from Drive:

1. Tap the three dots beside the file.
2. Tap Share or Manage access.
3. Add specific people, or copy a link with the right permission.
4. Test the link in a private browser window if the recipient is outside your organization.

If they see “request access,” the PDF is fine; the link permission needs changing.