What does flattening do?

It merges a PDF's interactive form fields into the page content, so the values look the same in every reader and can no longer be edited or cleared. It's the way to finalise a filled form before sharing it.

Do my files get uploaded anywhere?

No. Flattening happens entirely in your browser — your PDF never leaves your device.

What if my PDF has no form fields?

Then there's nothing to flatten and the file is saved unchanged. Flattening applies to AcroForm fields; free-floating annotations aren't merged.

Can I still edit it afterwards?

Not the flattened fields — that's the point. Keep an unflattened copy if you might need to change the values later.

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Flatten a PDF

Bake a PDF's form fields into the page so the filled-in values become permanent and can't be edited. Free, no signup, and it all happens in your browser.

Drop a PDF here or click to select

Files never leave your device.How it works

How to flatten a PDF

Drop your PDF above (or click to select).
Click Flatten — the interactive form fields are merged into the page.
Download the flattened PDF.

Frequently asked questions

What does flattening do?: It merges a PDF's interactive form fields into the page content, so the values look the same in every reader and can no longer be edited or cleared. It's the way to finalise a filled form before sharing it.
Do my files get uploaded anywhere?: No. Flattening happens entirely in your browser — your PDF never leaves your device.
What if my PDF has no form fields?: Then there's nothing to flatten and the file is saved unchanged. Flattening applies to AcroForm fields; free-floating annotations aren't merged.
Can I still edit it afterwards?: Not the flattened fields — that's the point. Keep an unflattened copy if you might need to change the values later.

Make a filled form final

A filled PDF form is still editable — anyone can open it and change your answers. Flattening merges those form fields into the page itself, so the values become part of the document: fixed, consistent in every reader, and no longer editable. It's how you turn a working form into a final copy before you send it.

Simple and local

There's nothing to configure — drop the PDF, flatten it, download. The whole thing runs in your browser, so a form full of personal details never leaves your device. Flattening applies to a PDF's AcroForm fields; if there are none, the file is saved as-is.

Good to know

Keep an unflattened copy if you might need to update the values later, since flattened fields can't be edited again. To fill a form before flattening it, use Fill PDF Form; to strip the file's hidden details too, use Edit Metadata.