> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.enterprise.ledger.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.enterprise.ledger.com/help-center-v2/guides/transactions/signing-messages.md).

# Signing messages

How to sign a message from a Ledger Enterprise Account without moving funds, and which message standards each network uses.

**Role: Operators.**

Signing a message proves control of an address without moving anything. Counterparties, exchanges and applications use it to confirm that an address is yours.

A message signature is a **Request**, governed by its own Rule. An Account that can send cannot necessarily sign messages: an Administrator has to add a **Sign message** Rule. See [**Creating and editing Accounts**](/help-center-v2/guides/accounts/creating-and-editing-accounts.md).

The **Sign messages** tab appears on Accounts whose asset supports it.

## Signing

1. Open the **Sign messages** tab on the Account.
2. Enter the **address** to sign with.
3. Choose the **message standard**.
4. Enter the message, or paste the typed data.
5. Submit, then review and confirm.

Like any Request, it then collects the approvals its Rule requires.

## Message standards

| Standard | Shown as                   | Networks                     |
| -------- | -------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| EIP-191  | Personal message (EIP-191) | Ethereum and EVM networks    |
| EIP-712  | Typed data (EIP-712)       | Ethereum and EVM networks    |
| BIP-137  | BIP-137                    | Bitcoin and similar networks |

**EIP-191** takes plain text, or a hex string. A hex string must have an even number of characters.

**EIP-712** takes a JSON payload of typed data. The form checks that the JSON is valid and that it really is an EIP-712 payload. It then shows the **domain**, the **primary type** and the **message fields** separately, with the raw JSON available.

That structure is the point of EIP-712. The device can display the fields individually, rather than a single opaque string.

## What can go wrong

| What you see                                      | Why                                             |
| ------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Message cannot be empty                           | No message was entered                          |
| Hex string must have an even number of characters | An EIP-191 hex message is malformed             |
| Message exceeds maximum length                    | The message is longer than the standard allows  |
| Typed data must be a valid JSON document          | The EIP-712 payload is not valid JSON           |
| This JSON is not an EIP-712 typed data payload    | The JSON is valid, but not in EIP-712 shape     |
| No matching rule found                            | No Sign message Rule covers you on this Account |

## Signing digests over the API

**Sign digests** is a separate operation, available to API users only. It signs a raw digest rather than a message in a standard's format.

It is not available in the interface. See the [**API documentation**](https://help.enterprise.ledger.com/api-documentation-v2).

## Related

* [**Ethereum and EVM networks**](/help-center-v2/reference/networks/ethereum.md)
* [**Creating and editing Accounts**](/help-center-v2/guides/accounts/creating-and-editing-accounts.md)
* [**How governance works**](/help-center-v2/concepts/how-governance-works.md)


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