Lock a finished document
A filled-in form can be changed by anyone who opens it, and comments can be deleted or hidden. Flattening draws the current appearance of fields and annotations into the page itself, so the document looks the same in every app and can no longer be edited. It's a good last step before sending a completed form, a signed agreement or a reviewed draft. It also avoids fields that look different, or appear blank, in some phone and browser viewers.
Choose what to flatten: form fields, comments, or both. For the strongest lock, the full-image option turns every page into a single picture, so there's nothing left to select or extract.
How to flatten a PDF
- 1
Open the PDF
Choose the filled form or annotated document.
- 2
Choose what to flatten
Form fields, comments and annotations, or the whole page as an image.
- 3
Flatten and download
The flattened copy downloads. Your original stays as it was.
Features
Forms and comments
Flatten either or both.
Values removed from the file
Old field data isn't left hidden inside the flattened copy.
Image option
Turn every page into a picture for maximum protection.
In your browser
Nothing is uploaded.
Flatten PDF: frequently asked questions
No. Flattening is permanent, so keep the original if you might need to edit it again.
Yes, unless you choose the image option.
Some viewers don't display form field values. Flattening makes the values part of the page so they always show.
It prevents editing fields and comments. To restrict copying or printing as well, use Protect PDF.