← All guides

How to fill out a W-9 on iPhone

Updated October 23, 2026

To fill out a W-9 on iPhone, download the fillable PDF from irs.gov/FormW9, open it in Preview (iOS 26) or Files, tap the Markup button, type into the fields, then add your signature and the date by hand. You don’t need to buy anything for this.

Before you start

• Use the current form. The current revision is Rev. March 2024, printed in the top-left corner of page 1. Download a fresh copy each time, because the IRS updates the form.
• Have your TIN ready. That’s your Social Security number if you’re filing as an individual or sole proprietor, or your EIN for a business. The form says: “The TIN provided must match the name given on line 1 to avoid backup withholding.”
• The W-9 goes to whoever asked for it, such as a client, bank, or platform. The form says “Do not send to the IRS.”

Fill out the W-9 with Preview or Files (free)

1. Download the form. In Safari, go to irs.gov/FormW9 and tap Form W-9 PDF under Current revision. When the PDF opens, tap Share, then Save to Files, then open it from Files or the Preview app. The file is small, about 140 KB.
2. Open it and turn on Markup. In Preview or Files, open the PDF and tap the Markup button. The IRS PDF has real form fields, so tapping a line puts a cursor in it.
3. Line 1: your name exactly as it appears on your tax return. Sole proprietors put their own name here, not the business name.
4. Line 2: a business name or DBA, if you have one. Otherwise leave it blank.
5. Line 3a: the form says “Check only one of the following seven boxes.” Most freelancers check Individual/sole proprietor. If you check LLC, type C, S, or P in the box next to it. A single-member LLC that is a disregarded entity checks the box for its owner instead.
6. Line 3b and line 4: skip them unless you’re a partnership, trust, or other entity they apply to. Individuals don’t use the exemption codes.
7. Lines 5 and 6: your mailing address. The requester will mail your 1099 here.
8. Part I: type your SSN or EIN, not both. Each box takes only its share of the digits: 3-2-4 for an SSN, 2-7 for an EIN. The fields enforce a maximum length, so tap each box in turn.
9. Save. Tap Done. If you’re asked to save a copy, tap Save, then reopen the file to check your entries are still there.

AutoFill may offer to fill your name and address from your contact card in Contacts. Check what it fills in, because it can put your personal name where the form expects a business name.

Sign and date it

The IRS W-9 has no fillable signature field and no fillable date field. Tapping the Sign Here line does nothing. You have to add both yourself:

1. With Markup open, tap the + button and choose Add Signature.
2. Sign with your finger and tap Done. Turning the phone sideways gives you more room. iOS saves the signature, so next time you only have to pick it.
3. Drag the signature onto the Signature of U.S. person line, and drag the blue corner dots to shrink it so it fits.
4. Tap + again, choose Add Text Form Box, and type today’s date. Drag it onto the Date line.
5. Zoom in and check that nothing covers the printed text, then tap Done.

The form says: “You must cross out item 2 above if you have been notified by the IRS that you are currently subject to backup withholding.” Add a line or an X with the drawing tools before you sign.

Send it without leaving your SSN in someone’s inbox

A W-9 carries your full SSN or EIN, and ordinary email isn’t a secure way to send it. In order of preference:

1. The requester’s portal. Payroll systems, freelance platforms, and many banks have a secure upload or their own digital W-9. If they have one, use it. The IRS allows requesters to accept W-9s through an electronic system they set up.
2. A password-protected PDF. In Preview, tap the filename at the top, then Lock, and set a password. Email the locked PDF, then send the password by text message or tell them by phone. Never put the password in the same email.
3. In person or by fax, if the requester still prefers that.

Be wary of unexpected W-9 requests. The IRS warns that it does not ask for personal details by email. Check who is asking before you send one, especially if the email claims to be from the IRS.

If someone gave you a paper W-9

Scan it into a PDF first (see our PDF scanner), or skip the scan and download a clean copy from IRS.gov. A scanned page has no form fields, so you’d have to place a text box for every line. The IRS copy is easier because the fields are already there.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting the date. It isn’t a fillable field, so it’s easy to miss.
• Leaving it unsigned. The form says “you are not required to sign the certification” only for certain payments, such as “payments other than interest and dividends”, and even then “you must provide your correct TIN.” Most requesters still ask for a signature, so sign unless told otherwise.
• Waiting for a TIN before sending. The instructions say: “apply for a TIN and enter ‘Applied For’ in the space for the TIN, sign and date the form, and give it to the requester.” Send an updated form when your number arrives.

Related guides

• How to sign a PDF on iPhone
• Feature: Fill PDF forms on iPhone
• Feature: PDF scanner