How to flatten a PDF
- Select the PDF with form fields or annotations.
- Choose what to flatten, such as form fields, annotations, or both.
- Click flatten and download the result.
What flattening means
Form fields and annotations are interactive layers that sit on top of a PDF page. Flattening draws their current appearance into the page itself and removes the interactive layer. Afterwards, the filled-in values, stamps and comments look exactly as they did, but they can no longer be edited, cleared or moved in a PDF reader.
This also fixes a common annoyance: a filled form that looks complete on your computer but shows empty boxes on someone else's phone, because their viewer doesn't render form fields well.
Flatten PDF forms before sending a final copy, so nobody can accidentally change the values you filled in.
When to flatten
- Submitting a completed form so answers can't be changed by accident or appear differently in another reader.
- Printing reliably: some printers and older viewers skip form values or comments.
- Merging and sending: flattened pages behave like any other page when combined with Merge PDF.
- Uploading to portals that reject PDFs with active forms.
Before you flatten
Flattening is one-way for the downloaded file, so keep an editable copy if you may need to change answers later. Fill fields first with Fill PDF Form. Flattening is not a security feature: the text is still in the document, and to restrict editing you can add permissions with Restrict PDF Permissions. Your file is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Can I unflatten a PDF?
No. Once fields are flattened, the downloaded file no longer contains them as fields. Keep your original if you need to edit it again.
Will flattened text still be searchable?
Form values are drawn as page content, so in most cases the text remains selectable and searchable.
Does flattening make the file smaller?
It can be slightly smaller or larger depending on the form. It is not meant as a compression tool.
Is the PDF uploaded?
No. Flattening happens locally in your browser.