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- Works offline
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Flatten PDF
Flatten a PDF so its form fields can no longer be edited. The values are burned into the page as part of the content, which makes a filled form safe to send around. Free, online, and the file is not uploaded.
How to flatten a PDF
- 1Drop your PDF form in, or click to choose it
- 2Fill in or check the fields, Flatten is already ticked
- 3Press Save PDF to download the flattened file
- A PDF where the form fields are fixed into the page.
What happens to your files
- Nothing is uploaded.Your PDF is opened and changed by your browser, on your own device.
- Flattened on your device.The PDF is rewritten in your browser, and nothing is sent to a server.
- Looks the same.What you see in the fields is what stays, as plain page content.
What you can do
- Burn text fields, tick boxes, radio buttons and drop-down values into the page.
- Fill the fields first in the list beside the page, then flatten in the same save.
- Add text, a date, ticks or a signature on the page before you flatten.
- Untick Flatten if you only want to fill the form and keep it editable.
- Check the result in the preview of each page before you save.
Good to know
- Flattening cannot be undone in the saved file. Keep a copy of the original if you may need the form again.
- This works on form fields. Comments and highlights are the job of the annotation tools.
- If a PDF's fields cannot be flattened, the file is saved with its fields still editable and a note tells you.
- Flattening does not remove text: it stays selectable. To remove content for good, use "Redact PDF".
- A password-protected PDF has to be unlocked first.
Questions
What does it mean to flatten a PDF?
The form fields are turned into ordinary page content. The values stay visible, but nobody can type into the fields any more.
Why flatten a filled form?
So the answers cannot be changed after you send it, and so every viewer shows the form the same way.
Can I flatten and sign in one go?
Yes. Add your signature on the page and save with Flatten ticked.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. It is flattened in your browser.