Flatten PDF
Fix filled-in fields and annotations onto the page, so the PDF looks the same in every reader and can’t be edited anymore. Everything happens on your device.
Processed on your deviceNothing is uploaded to servers
Drag one or more PDFs here
PDF files
Files are opened on your device and never uploaded.
How it works
Choose the PDF
Drag the file into the workspace or use the button. You can choose several at once.
Choose what to do
“Flatten” fixes the fields and annotations onto the page. “Remove annotations” takes them out without leaving anything behind.
Download the result
You get a new PDF, ready to send. The original stays as it was.
Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The PDF is processed in your browser and never leaves your device.
What does it mean to “flatten” a PDF?
It moves form fields and annotations (comments, highlights, stamps, drawings) into the page content. They look the same on screen, but nobody can change or delete them in a PDF reader anymore. When printing, what you see on screen is what prints: anything marked not to print (such as a form’s “Print” button) will now print.
What is it for?
To send a filled-in form without the answers being changed, to make the PDF look the same in every reader (some don’t show fields properly) and to close a reviewed document before sharing it.
Do links still work?
Yes, as long as “Keep links” stays on, which it is by default. Links to other pages of the PDF and to websites stay as they were.
What about annotations that don’t show on the page?
Annotations hidden on screen (including those that only appeared when printing) aren’t drawn and are removed from the PDF. Some notes have no appearance of their own (the reader draws them): when flattening, they’re left as they were and we tell you how many there are. To remove them, use “Remove annotations”.