Flatten PDF
Bake form fields and annotations into the page so they can't be edited, free, and 100% in your browser.
100% private, your PDF is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
How to flatten a PDF
When you fill in a PDF form, the answers you type live in interactive form fields that sit on top of the page. Anyone who opens the file can still click into those fields and change, or accidentally erase, what you entered. Flattening solves this by merging the fields and any annotations directly into the page content, so your filled-in form becomes a fixed, final document.
Drop your PDF above and click Flatten PDF. The tool regenerates the field appearances and flattens every annotation into the page, then gives you a finalised copy to download. It runs entirely in your browser, your document is never uploaded.
Why flatten before sharing a form
Flattening a filled form is good practice whenever you submit it for KYC, an application, or a contract. It guarantees the recipient sees exactly what you entered, prevents tampering with the values, and ensures the form renders identically in every PDF reader, some readers display unflattened field values inconsistently. It's also handy for finalising scanned documents with sticky-note style annotations you want to make permanent.
What's preserved
Flattening is visual-lossless: your typed values, checkmarks, signatures and stamps all stay exactly where they are. They simply stop being editable. The page layout, images and text are untouched.
Private by design
This tool uses a WebAssembly build of the open-source qpdf engine running directly in your browser. There's no upload endpoint, so your PDF never leaves your device. Want to protect the finalised file with a password? Use Lock PDF. Need to verify a signed document? Try our PDF signature validator.
Flatten PDF, frequently asked questions
What does flattening a PDF do?+
Flattening merges interactive elements, form fields, checkboxes, and annotations, into the static page content. The text you typed stays visible, but the fields become part of the page and can no longer be edited or accidentally cleared.
When should I flatten a PDF?+
After filling in a PDF form you want to submit or share, so the recipient sees your answers exactly and can't change them. It also makes filled forms display consistently across different PDF readers.
Will flattening change how my PDF looks?+
No. The visible result looks the same, your filled-in values, signatures and stamps are preserved. They simply become non-interactive.
Is it private?+
Yes. Flattening runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Your PDF is never uploaded, stored, or logged.