Bake fillable forms and annotations into permanent page content, strip embedded scripts and attachments, and clear metadata — all in one pass, free, in your browser.
No uploadScans before flatteningNo rasterizationFree forever
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What's inside this file
⚠This file appears to contain form fields or annotations that may include a signature. Flattening rebuilds the file and will invalidate any cryptographic signature. Only continue if you don't need this copy to remain verifiably signed.
Choose what to flatten
ℹRevision history is always collapsed — this tool rebuilds the file fresh from its current visible content, so any hidden prior versions, deleted text, or old form values that some editors leave behind are discarded automatically.
No upload Processed in browser No rasterization
Flatten a PDF — turn interactive elements into permanent content
A "fillable" PDF form, a highlighted line of text, a sticky-note comment, a signature stamp — all of these are stored as separate, editable objects layered on top of the page, not as part of the page itself. Anyone with a PDF editor can move them, delete them, or change what they say. Flattening bakes each one's current appearance permanently into the page content, so what you see is what stays.
How it works without rasterizing: every form field and annotation already has its own vector appearance (the exact same lines, text, and colors your PDF viewer draws on screen). This tool copies that existing vector appearance directly into the page — using the same technique any PDF viewer uses internally — then removes the separate interactive object. Nothing is converted to a flat image; sharp vector output and selectable text where applicable are preserved.
Beyond flattening, this tool can also strip a few other things PDFs sometimes carry silently: embedded JavaScript that can run automatically on open, hidden file attachments, and document metadata (author, creating software, timestamps). It also always rebuilds the file fresh, which discards any invisible prior revisions some editors leave behind.
Need to just edit metadata fields individually instead of clearing everything? Use the PDF Metadata Editor. Need to find and remove sensitive data like emails or SSNs? See Redact PDF. Need to permanently rotate or reorder pages afterward? See Rotate PDF or Split PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Flattening converts interactive elements — fillable form fields and annotations like highlights, comments, and stamps — into permanent, static page content. Once flattened, that content can no longer be edited, moved, or removed as a separate layer; it's baked into the page itself.
No. This tool copies each element's existing vector appearance directly into the page's content stream. Text stays selectable where it already was, and vector graphics stay sharp at any zoom level — nothing is converted to a flat image.
Some PDFs contain embedded scripts that run automatically when the file is opened — used legitimately for form calculations, but also a known vector for malicious PDFs. Stripping it removes any auto-run behavior entirely, which is good hygiene before sharing a file you didn't create yourself.
PDFs edited by some tools keep old, invisible versions of the file appended inside the same document — meaning deleted text, previous form answers, or prior signatures can sometimes be recovered by anyone with the right tool. This tool always rebuilds the file fresh from its current visible content, which discards that hidden history.
Yes — flattening rebuilds the file, which invalidates cryptographic signatures. Don't use this tool on a document where a legally verifiable signature must remain checkable. It's intended for sanitizing forms, comments, and hidden data, not for signed final records.
No. Scanning and flattening both happen entirely in your browser using pdf-lib. Your file never leaves your device.