Flatten a PDF so Form Fields and Notes Stay Put
Turn form fields and annotations into fixed page content so filled answers and markup can no longer be changed.
Free, with no sign-up and no watermark. The file is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
Flattening turns fillable form fields into ordinary page content, so the values you typed can't be changed and display the same everywhere. Comments, highlights, stamps and drawings are painted permanently onto the page as well, leaving a static document that looks the same in every reader.
Good to know: links stay clickable, and the pop-up windows that hold comment text are dropped — the comment's icon or highlight stays on the page, but its pop-up text does not. An annotation that has no drawn appearance in the file has nothing to paint, so it disappears.
Step by step
- Upload the PDF: Typically a filled-in form.
- Flatten: Click Flatten PDF.
- Check the result: Open the "-flattened" file and confirm that every field shows its value.
- Share: Send the static copy; keep the fillable original if you may need to edit it again.
Handy for
Submitting forms
Stop answers from being altered after you send a completed form.
Consistent display
Some viewers hide or restyle field values; flattened text looks the same everywhere.
Printing
Avoid printers that skip form field values.
Final review copies
Freeze reviewers' highlights and markup so they can't be moved or deleted.
Good to know
Fill the form first — flattening an empty form locks in empty boxes.
Flattening doesn't password-protect anything. Use Add Password if you need restrictions.
Need to fill a form first? Use Fill Forms.
Questions
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. The file is read and processed by JavaScript running in your browser tab. Nothing is sent to a server, and the result is created on your device.
Can I unflatten a PDF?
No. Once fields are flattened they are ordinary page content. Keep the original if you might need to edit it.
What happens to comments and highlights?
Their visible appearance is drawn into the page, so they stay visible but can no longer be edited. Pop-up note text is not kept, and links remain clickable.
Is text still selectable?
Yes. Page text is untouched, and flattened field values are drawn as text.
Further reading
- How to Sign and Fill In a PDF Form Without Printing — Fill a PDF's fields, add a drawn, typed or photographed signature, then flatten it so answers can't change, all in your browser with no printing or scanning.
More Edit, Sign & Stamp tools
- Change PDF Title, Author & Keywords — View and change a PDF's title, author, subject, keywords, creator and producer fields.
- Bates Stamp PDF Pages — Stamp a prefix and zero-padded running number such as ABC000001 on every page, with a preview first.
- Thumb Impression Maker — Turn a photo of an inked thumb impression into a clean transparent PNG, and optionally stamp it onto a PDF.
- Night-Mode, Greyscale & Sepia PDF — Apply invert, dark mode, greyscale or sepia as a blend layer over each page, keeping text sharp and selectable.
- Typed Text to Handwriting — Paste text and get a PDF in a neat or cursive hand on ruled, plain or grid paper, with your choice of ink colour.
- Turn PDF Text into Handwriting — Pull the text from a PDF, edit it, and render it in a neat or cursive hand on ruled, plain or grid paper.