Flatten a PDF
Send a filled form that nobody can change, or make comments and stamps show up the same in every app and on every printer.
or drop it here
Files never leave your device · Free, no sign-up · No watermark
How to flatten a PDF
- Choose or drop the PDF.
- Select Flatten PDF.
- Download the flattened file.
What flattening does
Form fields and annotations, such as comments, stamps, highlights and drawings, are merged into the page content. They look exactly as they did, but are no longer separate objects that can be edited, moved or deleted. Some readers and printers do not show annotations at all; after flattening, they do.
Good to know
Forms stop being fillable. Annotations without a visual appearance, such as some hidden comments, are removed. Keep a copy of the original if you may need to edit it again.
Questions about Flatten PDF
Are my files uploaded when I flatten a PDF?
No. Scissor PDF runs a PDF engine written in Rust and compiled to WebAssembly inside your browser tab. Your files are read from your disk into the page's memory, processed there and saved back to your device. The site has no upload endpoint, and its Content Security Policy blocks the page from sending data to any other server.
Can I still fill in the form after flattening?
No. The fields become part of the page. Fill in the form first with Fill PDF form, then flatten.
Why did some comments disappear?
Annotations that have no visual appearance cannot be drawn onto the page, so they are removed.
Why would I flatten a PDF?
To stop others changing your entries, and to make sure forms and markup look the same in every app and when printed.
Is it free? Do I need an account?
It is free, with no account, no daily task limit and no watermark added to your documents. Because the work happens on your own computer, there is no server cost per file for us to recover.