How to flatten a PDF
- Tap "Add a PDF" or drop it onto the box.
- Check what the PDF has, and whether its links should keep working.
- Tap "Flatten PDF" and download.
Good to know
Form fields and annotations (comments, highlights, stamps, drawings and text boxes) sit on top of the page, where anyone can change or delete them, and some apps and printers show them differently or not at all. Flattening draws each one onto the page and removes the layer that could be edited.
Each annotation is drawn from the look saved inside the PDF. A few annotations have no saved look; some apps draw those themselves, so they can’t be kept and are removed. The tool tells you how many, and does the same for hidden ones. The text inside comment pop-ups isn’t kept, only what showed on the page. Links keep working unless you choose to remove them.
Flattening can’t be undone, so keep your original. A digital signature in the PDF will no longer check as valid. Redaction marks that were never applied stay unapplied: the text under them is still in the file, so use Redact PDF for that.
Questions
Why flatten a PDF form?
So the answers can’t be changed, and so they show up when the form is printed, emailed or opened in an app that doesn’t show form fields well.
Can I still search and copy the text?
Usually yes. Typed answers and text boxes are drawn as text, so they can still be searched and copied.
Can I undo flattening?
No. Keep the original PDF if you might need to change the answers again.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Your PDF is flattened by your browser on your device.
Page last reviewed 21 October 2026.