Flatten a PDF
Flatten PDF form fields, signatures and annotations into the page so they cannot be edited again. Free, private, and processed in your browser.
- Files never leave your device
- Free, no sign-up
- No watermark
About Flatten PDF
Turn a filled form, a signed document or a marked-up file into a final version that looks exactly the same but can no longer be edited. Flattening bakes form fields, stamps, signatures and comments into the page content, so whoever receives the file sees what you saw and cannot change the answers. It is also the fix when filled forms show blank fields in some viewers. Your PDF is flattened on your own device and never uploaded.
How to use Flatten PDF
- 1
Drop the filled form or annotated PDF onto the tool.
- 2
Click Flatten.
- 3
Wait a moment while fields and annotations are drawn into each page.
- 4
Download the flattened PDF and share it.
Why use this tool
- Locks filled form answers so they cannot be changed.
- Keeps the visual appearance of fields, stamps and signatures.
- Removes hidden annotations and link hotspots that are not visible on the page.
- Fixes forms that look empty in viewers that do not support fields.
- Private: the file is processed in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
It converts interactive elements such as form fields and annotations into ordinary page content. The page looks the same, but nothing is left to fill in or edit.
Some viewers do not render form fields. Flattening draws the answers onto the page so every viewer shows them.
Not in the flattened file. Keep a copy of the original if you might need to edit the form later.
It stops casual editing, but it is not encryption. Use Protect PDF if you want to require a password.
Yes. Flattening does not convert pages to images.
No. Flattening runs in your browser and the document never leaves your device.
Yes. There is no account, no watermark and no usage limit. The tool runs in your own browser, so there is no server cost to charge you for.
Related tools
All PDF tools →- Fill PDF FormFill in the fields of any fillable PDF form, tick boxes and choose options, then save it, optionally flattened.
- Sign PDFAdd your signature image to a PDF, choose its position and size, and apply it to one page or every page.
- Protect PDFAdd a password to a PDF and encrypt it so only people with the password can open it.
- Merge PDFCombine multiple PDF files into one document in seconds.
- Split PDFSplit a PDF into single pages, custom page ranges, every N pages or files under a size limit.
- Compress PDFReduce PDF file size by re-encoding page images at the quality you choose, or strip metadata losslessly.