Flatten PDF

Files stay in your browser 100 MB per file LimitDocument Tools#Essential#PDF

Turn the fillable form fields in a PDF into fixed text, so the filled-in answers can no longer be changed.

Edit

Flatten forms

Turn interactive form fields into fixed text and graphics.

Each file on its own

Drop PDFs to start

PDF files · up to 100 MB each · or paste with Ctrl+V

Add a PDF to use this tool.

How to use, limits & privacy

About Flatten PDF

Turn the fillable form fields in a PDF into fixed text and graphics, so the answers you typed, ticks in checkboxes and chosen options can no longer be changed in a PDF reader. The filled values stay on the page as ordinary content, which is useful before you email or submit a filled form. Only form fields are flattened; the rest of the PDF is left as it was. Several PDFs can be flattened at once.

How to Use

Fill in your form first

Fill the form in a PDF reader such as your browser or Acrobat and save it. Flattening fixes the fields exactly as they are.

Add the filled PDF

Drop one or more PDFs on the page, paste them with Ctrl+V, or click Choose PDFs.

Flatten and download

Press Flatten forms. The result says how many fields were flattened; click Download to save the file named like form-flattened.pdf.

Privacy & Processing

Mode: hybrid
Files Leave Browser: Selected data may be sent to a service or peer
Max Input Size: 100 MB per file
Account Required: No
Data Stored Locally: Nothing is saved. Your files and the flattened PDFs are cleared when you leave the page.
Network Processing: Required for connected features

Your PDFs are flattened in your browser and are never uploaded.

Rules & Limitations

A PDF without form fields is left alone and the result says there is nothing to flatten. Comments and other annotations are not flattened.
If a field contains Hindi or other characters the built-in PDF font cannot draw, the form may not flatten and an error is shown.
Flattening cannot be undone in the flattened copy, so keep the original if you may need to edit the answers.
PDFs that need a password or are encrypted cannot be flattened. Up to 100 MB per PDF.

Top Suggestions

Locking the answers in a filled application or KYC form before emailing it
Making sure a filled form prints correctly on an office printer
Sending a filled invoice or quotation template that the client cannot edit by accident
Keeping a final copy of a submitted form exactly as it was filed

Flatten PDF FAQ

What does flattening a PDF mean?

It turns interactive form fields, such as text boxes, checkboxes and drop-downs, into ordinary page content. The filled values stay visible but can no longer be clicked or edited as fields.

How do I make a filled PDF form non-editable?

Save the filled form, add it here and press Flatten forms, then Download. The answers become part of the page, so a PDF reader no longer lets anyone type in the fields.

Why does it say there is nothing to flatten?

The PDF has no interactive form fields. Many forms are just printed boxes with no real fields, and a scanned form is only an image, so there is nothing to flatten.

Does flattening make a PDF secure?

No. It stops casual editing of the fields, but the text is still ordinary page content that a PDF editor can change. It does not add a password or a digital signature.

Can I flatten several PDF forms at once?

Yes. Add all the filled PDFs before pressing Flatten forms. Each one is flattened separately, and Download all (ZIP) saves them together.