About Flatten PDF
A filled-in PDF form keeps its answers in editable fields, and comments sit on top of the page as annotations. Flattening draws them onto the page itself, so the file shows the same content everywhere and the values can no longer be edited in a reader.
It is a good last step before sending a completed form, and it fixes forms whose answers disappear in some viewers.
What flattening changes
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Editable form fields | Values printed on the page |
| Comments and highlights | Part of the page content |
| Checkboxes you can tick | Fixed ticks or empty boxes |
When to flatten
Flatten a form after you have filled it in and checked it, just before sending. It also fixes forms whose answers only show in some PDF readers.
How to use it
- 1Choose or drop a filled-in or annotated PDF
- 2Flatten it
- 3Download the flattened PDF
Questions
Can someone still change the content?
Not in a normal PDF reader. Someone with PDF editing software could still edit the page itself, as with any PDF.
Will my form answers be kept?
Yes. The values you filled in become part of the page.
Can I fill the form again afterwards?
No. The fields are gone. Keep the original if you may need to change answers.