Flatten PDF
Bake all annotations and form fields into the page so they can't be edited.
Lock in annotations, signatures, and form data permanently
A PDF with form fields, sticky notes, highlights, or a drawn signature is still editable — the recipient can change what you typed, delete your signature, or swap your notes. Flattening “burns” all of these interactive layers into the page itself, so the PDF looks identical but nothing can be changed or removed.
When to flatten
- Sending a filled application form where the fields shouldn't be alterable
- After signing a contract — prevents the signature from being dragged, edited, or deleted
- Before uploading to a portal that rejects interactive PDFs (many government e-filing systems)
- After redacting sensitive text — flattening ensures redaction rectangles can't be moved aside
- Archiving a marked-up review so comments stay exactly where you left them
What changes visually
Nothing visible changes. The difference is underneath — fields and annotations stop being separate editable objects and become part of the page's static content stream. The PDF still opens in every reader, prints identically, and keeps its page count.
How to use this tool
- Upload PDF.
- Click Flatten & Download.
- Form fields and annotations are now part of the page.
Frequently asked questions
Why flatten?
It prevents recipients from changing form fields, signatures, or comments after you send the PDF. The document becomes read-only visually.
Will text in the PDF still be selectable?
Yes — original text content remains selectable and searchable. Only interactive layers are collapsed into the page.
Does flattening reduce file size?
Sometimes — especially for PDFs with many complex annotation objects. For heavy form PDFs, savings can be 10–30%.
Is a flattened PDF still accessible to screen readers?
Text remains readable, but form labels and tooltips are lost. Keep an unflattened copy if accessibility tags matter.
Can I unflatten later?
No — flattening is a one-way operation. Always keep the original if you might need to edit fields again.