Skip to content
Nopload

Flatten PDF

Turn form fields and annotations into fixed page content.

Runs on your device

Other sites: 0Check it yourself
  1. 1Add files
  2. 2Set up
  3. 3Download

Tip: You can also drop files anywhere on this page, or paste them.

or drop them here

Accepts PDF

How to use Flatten PDF

  1. 01Add one or more PDFs with forms or annotations.
  2. 02Choose whether to flatten form fields and annotations, or form fields only.
  3. 03Press Flatten PDF and download the flattened copies.

About Flatten PDF

Flatten PDF merges the interactive layer of a PDF into the page itself. Filled-in form fields become plain text and check marks, and annotations such as comments, highlights and stamps become part of the drawing. The result looks the same, but nothing can be typed over or moved, answers can't be edited by accident, and every viewer and printer shows the file the same way. It's the usual last step before you submit a completed form or archive a reviewed document.

Why your files stay private

Filled-in forms are full of personal details: names, ID numbers, addresses. Flattening runs with qpdf compiled to WebAssembly inside your browser, so the completed form never leaves your device.

Flatten PDF: common questions

Why flatten a filled-in form?
Portals and offices often ask for a flattened PDF so the answers can't change after you send it, and because some viewers don't show form fields at all. Flattened answers are ordinary text that every app displays and prints.
Is the text still searchable after flattening?
Yes. The values become real text on the page, so they can be selected, searched and read aloud by screen readers.
Can a flattened form be filled in again?
No, the fields are gone. Keep the original if you may need to change an answer, and flatten a copy.
What happens to notes without a visible appearance?
A note that readers show only as an icon has nothing to draw, so it stays a note. Comments, highlights, shapes and stamps that have an appearance are drawn into the page.
Does flattening affect a digital signature?
The signature stops verifying, as with any change to a signed file. Flatten before signing if a form needs both.

Edit