What does flattening a PDF do?

Flattening turns a PDF's form fields and comments into ordinary page content. Filled-in answers, highlights, sticky notes, shapes and stamps stay exactly where they are, but nobody can edit, move or delete them any more. It is a common last step before you send a filled-in form, a signed contract or a reviewed document, and it makes the file look the same in every PDF viewer.

Tool description

This tool flattens one PDF at a time in your browser. Upload a PDF and it counts the form fields and the comments and markups in it. Pick what to flatten, then download the flattened PDF. Your file is never uploaded.

Features

  • Flattens form fields, keeping the answers exactly as they look
  • Flattens comments and markups, such as highlights, shapes, stamps, ink drawings and text boxes
  • Places everything exactly where your PDF viewer shows it
  • Flattens the form fields, the comments, or both
  • Keeps links working

Good to know

  • Hidden comments are removed, since they have nothing to show.
  • Some comments only store their text and leave the drawing to the viewer. Without a look to copy, they can't be flattened and stay as they are.
  • Form fields with text in a script this tool has no font for, such as Chinese or Japanese, stay fillable.
  • Redaction marks that haven't been applied stay as they are, since flattening them would only cover the text instead of removing it.
  • Password-protected PDFs need the password removed first.