Interactive PDF forms may contain fields that users can type into. Flattening can make supported field appearances part of the page, but it changes how the form behaves.
Explore free tools →An interactive form lets a recipient select fields and enter or change values. A flattened form generally displays those values as page content instead of editable form controls. The exact result depends on the PDF and the tool.
Flattening can help when a recipient needs a stable view of a completed form or when form fields render inconsistently across viewers. It is not the same as encrypting a file or applying a cryptographic signature.
Open Flatten PDF Forms, choose a PDF containing supported interactive form fields, and run the operation. If the file contains no supported fields, the tool may report that there is nothing to flatten. Open the output and verify that field values remain visible.
Flattening may remove the ability to edit fields later. Save a separate copy of the original form if you might need to make corrections or reuse it.
No. It is intended for supported interactive form fields; image-only pages or unsupported field types may not behave as expected.
No. Flattening is not encryption or secure redaction. Use appropriate security measures for sensitive files.
Keep the original document until you have checked the downloaded result. For important or sensitive documents, follow the requirements of the organisation receiving the file.