A filled form or a marked-up PDF can look different, or lose its answers, when opened in another app or uploaded to a portal. Flattening fixes that: answers, comments, highlights, stamps and drawings become part of the page itself. Choose “Forms and comments” to keep text sharp, or “Whole page as image” for a result that prints exactly the same everywhere.
loading toolHow to flatten a PDF
- Choose the PDF.
- Pick Forms and comments (sharp text) or Whole page as image.
- Press Flatten PDF and download.
Questions
Why do portals ask for a flattened PDF?
Form fields can be edited or may not display in their viewer. A flattened PDF shows your answers as normal page content that cannot change.
Are links kept?
In “Forms and comments” mode, clickable links stay clickable. In image mode, everything, links included, becomes part of the picture.
Can I undo flattening?
Not in the flattened copy, so keep your original if you may need to edit the answers later.
My PDF says it is password-protected. What now?
If you know the password, open it with our Remove PDF Password tool first, then come back. We cannot (and will not) break passwords you do not have.
Is my data private?
Yes. Everything happens inside your own browser: nothing you type or choose is uploaded to us or anyone else.
Is it free?
Completely free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many times you use it. Light ads keep the site running.
