PDF ToolsFlattening a PDF merges its form fields into the page itself, so the answers become page content and the form controls are removed. Existing comments and other annotations remain editable.
What you need
- A PDF with fillable form fields already filled in the way you want, up to 100 MB.
How to flatten a PDF, step by step
- Open Flatten PDF and choose your file.
The Flatten PDF tool before a file is added. - Read what flattening does before you continue, since it cannot be undone from the result file.
Flattening merges the form fields into the page. The values stay visible, but nobody can change them afterward. - Select "Flatten PDF", then download the result.
Select Download once the form is flattened.
Credits: flattening a PDF with fillable fields uses 1 credit, which your free daily credits cover. A PDF with no fields is returned unchanged without consuming credits. You get 10 free credits a day, or 25 with a free account.
Tips before you flatten
- Fill in every field first. Once flattened, a field's value cannot be changed as a form field again, so check the document with Fill Out PDF before you run this tool.
- Keep a copy of the filled-in form. If you might need to correct an answer later, save the version with live fields before you flatten it.
- Want the file locked further? Flattening stops the fields from being edited, but not the file from being opened or printed. Add a password with Protect PDF for that.
