Flatten PDF
Flatten a PDF for free in your browser: form fields, comments, highlights and stamps become part of the page, so nobody can edit them and every viewer shows them.
What it does
Flattening turns the interactive parts of a PDF into ordinary page content. Form fields keep the answers that were typed in but can no longer be edited, and comments, highlights, stamps and drawings are drawn on the page instead of floating on top of it. Flattened PDFs print and display the same in every viewer, and are what many offices ask for when they receive a filled form or a reviewed document. Links keep working.
How to use it
- Choose the PDF.
- Choose what to flatten: form fields, annotations or both.
- Download the flattened PDF.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to the links in the PDF?
Links keep working: only form fields and visual annotations (comments, highlights, stamps, drawings, text boxes) are flattened. Hidden annotations and pop-up notes are removed, since they never appear on paper.
Is flattening the same as making a PDF read-only?
Not quite. Flattening removes the fields, so the answers can no longer be changed with a normal PDF reader, but the text can still be edited with a PDF editor. To stop changes completely, also protect the PDF with a password that restricts editing.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The PDF is opened, filled and saved in your browser; nothing is sent to a server, which matters for tax forms and other personal documents.