How to get client sign-off on a design
To get client sign-off, name one decision-maker upfront, share a versioned review link (not an attachment), collect feedback pinned to the exact spot, and get explicit written approval tied to that specific version — not a verbal 'looks good' in Slack. The most common failure isn't a difficult client; it's approval that was never formalised to a specific iteration.
Name one decision-maker at kickoff — not a committee
The leading cause of sign-off falling apart at the end of a project is the wrong person approving. A junior stakeholder says 'looks great' on week two; the CEO sees it for the first time on launch day and requests changes. Fix this at kickoff: ask directly, 'Who is the one person whose approval we need to proceed?' Write the name in the brief and copy them on every review request. Other stakeholders can leave feedback; only one person's approval counts. If your client insists on committee approval, negotiate a named champion who consolidates the team's view before responding to you. Two rounds from five people is harder to resolve than five rounds from one.
Share a review link — not an attachment or a Figma view-only URL
Emailing a PNG starts a version-management problem you'll spend the rest of the project cleaning up. The client saves the file, their colleague saves the file, someone marks it up in Preview and emails it back, and by round two you're reconciling feedback across three renamed files. A Figma view-only link is cleaner, but Figma requires a free account to leave a comment — expect at least one 'I tried but I couldn't work out how to add a note' message on the first round with any client who isn't a designer. The path most freelance designers land on after a couple of painful projects: export the design as a PNG or PDF and share it via a review link the client opens in any browser, on any device, without logging in. They click the exact element and pin a note. The URL stays stable — when you update the design, the same link shows the new version. The client doesn't need a new link; you don't need to forward a new file; the thread from round one is still there.
Address every open comment before asking for approval
The most avoidable re-open is asking for sign-off while the client can still see unresolved notes. They will not approve — and they shouldn't. Before sending the approval request, go through the thread from the last round and mark each note as resolved or explicitly acknowledged. For anything you've decided not to change, write a one-line reply explaining why ('Kept the heading left-aligned — centering it on a three-column layout would break the grid we aligned on in round one') and mark it closed. When the client opens the link, they should see a clean slate: new version, all previous notes addressed. This is the step most designers skip when they're in a hurry, and it's the one that triggers another full round of review.
Ask for written approval tied to the specific version
Verbal 'looks good' in a Slack message is not sign-off. It feels like approval, and it might genuinely be approval — but six weeks later when a client claims they never agreed to the final layout, you have nothing to point to. After addressing every open note, send a short, direct email (not a Slack message): 'Round 3 is live at [link]. All feedback from round 2 is resolved — see the thread. Please reply to this email confirming you're happy to proceed to development, or leave any remaining notes on the link by [date].' The email creates a timestamped record. The specific version reference means approval is scoped: if the client later requests a change to an element they approved in writing, that's a change request under a new scope, not a correction you owe them. Most clients find this clearer, not more bureaucratic — they know exactly what they're being asked to confirm and when you need a response.
Set a deadline and follow up once — in writing
Silence is not approval. When you send the review request, include a deadline: 'If I don't hear back by Thursday, I'll assume we're on hold and adjust the delivery timeline accordingly.' Follow up once on Thursday if you haven't heard. One follow-up is professional; daily nudges train the client to treat your requests as non-urgent. If they miss the deadline and the timeline slips, that's in the email chain — your protection if they ask why delivery is late.
The hardest part of getting sign-off isn't the approval — it's the version confusion before it. When feedback arrives as email bullets ('the heading near the top') you spend an hour mapping comments back to the right element before you can revise anything. Drop the design into Drafty and share the link: your client clicks the exact element and pins a note to it, with no account. When you've revised it, push the new version to the same link. The thread carries over — resolved notes marked, open ones still visible. When every note is addressed, you can see it at a glance before you ask for formal sign-off.
Open a live demoQuestions
- What counts as formal client sign-off?
- A written response — email or a message with a timestamp — confirming approval of a specific named version. A verbal 'looks good' on a call, or a reaction emoji in Slack, is not enough. The written record protects both sides: the client knows exactly what they approved, and you have evidence if the scope of 'approved' is disputed later.
- How do I get a client to approve a design faster?
- Three things speed up approval: one named decision-maker (not a committee), a review link the client can open on their phone without logging in, and a deadline attached to every review request. Clients who receive a link with a clear deadline respond faster than clients who receive an attachment with an open-ended 'let me know what you think.' Specificity reduces the amount of thinking the client has to do.
- What should a design sign-off email say?
- Keep it short. Reference the version, confirm what changed from last round, and state exactly what you need: 'Round 2 is live at [link]. The navigation and colour updates from your round-1 notes are in. Please reply confirming you're happy to proceed, or drop any remaining notes on the link by [date].' One link, one action, one deadline. Avoid vague closings like 'looking forward to your thoughts.'
- What if the client keeps requesting changes after sign-off?
- Point to the written approval: 'You confirmed this version on [date] — I have that in our email thread. Happy to make this change as a scope addition; I'll send a brief proposal.' A scope addition can be a quick email — three lines, a cost, a timeline — or it can be a formal change order, depending on the project size. The sign-off email is what makes 'this is new scope' a statement of fact rather than an argument.
- How do I get sign-off when there are multiple stakeholders?
- Still go back to one named decision-maker. Ask who consolidates the team's feedback before it comes to you. If there genuinely isn't one person, run a single shared review link where everyone comments — so all feedback is visible to everyone and the team can resolve conflicts internally before the notes land with you. Review threads with five separate email chains produce contradictory instructions; one shared thread forces the stakeholders to see each other's comments and sort disagreements themselves.
- What is a design sign-off document?
- A sign-off document lists the deliverables being approved, the version or date, who is approving, and a signature or written confirmation. For freelance projects it can be as simple as an email you ask the client to reply to — you don't need a PDF with signatures. For larger agency or enterprise engagements, a formal document with the client's name, company, a list of deliverables, and a date of approval protects everyone more clearly.
Keep exploring
Stop emailing files back and forth.
Share one link. They comment on the exact spot — no account, always the current version.