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Flatten PDF

Turn a filled-in form into a fixed document, so the values can be read but no longer changed.

Use Flatten PDF (interactive) — JavaScript required for uploads.

How to use this tool

  1. Add your filled PDF form
  2. Run the tool
  3. Download the flattened PDF

What flattening does

Form field values are drawn permanently into the page and the interactive fields are removed. Anyone opening the result sees the answers but cannot edit them.

How it works

Runs entirely in your browser — your file is never uploaded. A PDF with no form is returned unchanged rather than treated as an error.

Frequently asked questions

Is it free?

Yes, completely free and with no account.

Can flattening be undone?

No. Keep your original if you might need to edit the answers again.

Is this the same as password protection?

No. Flattening stops form editing; it does not encrypt the file or stop copying.

Runs in your browser

This tool works entirely on this page. Your file is opened by JavaScript here, changed in memory, and handed straight back to you — it is never uploaded. Open your browser's Network tab while you use it and you will see nothing leave your device.

Because there is no server doing the work, there is no signup, no watermark, no file size limit, and no daily cap. Nothing is stored, because nothing is received.

Related tools

Browse all free PDF tools, or read how we handle privacy and security.