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FLATTEN PDF

Flatten PDF

Flatten forms and annotations, or make a PDF uneditable

Drop your PDF here

Flatten forms and annotations, or make your PDF uneditable

PDF only · Max 100MB · Files stay private

  • Form Fields Flattened

    Text fields, checkboxes and dropdowns become permanent content.

  • Annotations Merged

    Comments, highlights and stamps can be baked into the page.

  • No More Editing

    Choose annotation lock or a fully non-editable visual PDF.

  • Same Quality PDF

    Preserve layout and page size; high-DPI rendering when rasterizing.

How to Flatten a PDF?

  1. 1

    Upload PDF

    Drag & drop or choose a PDF file.

  2. 2

    Choose mode

    Lock annotations or make the PDF fully uneditable.

  3. 3

    Set options

    Pick which elements to flatten and render quality if needed.

  4. 4

    Download

    Save the flattened PDF. The original file stays unchanged.

Two honest ways to flatten a PDF

Lock annotations merges supported form fields, comments and other annotations into permanent page content while keeping normal PDF text selectable and searchable.

Make PDF uneditable renders each page into a high-quality visual PDF so text cannot be selected or copied as a normal text layer. This is not absolute protection against every extraction method.

Visual flattening of signature appearances is not the same as validating a cryptographic digital signature.

Security & privacy

  • Uploads are validated by extension, MIME type and PDF structure.
  • Passwords for encrypted inputs are used only for processing and are not stored long-term.
  • The original uploaded file is never overwritten.
  • Downloads require a secret token bound to your job.
  • Temporary files are deleted after retention.

Related PDF Tools

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the two flatten modes?
Lock annotations keeps normal PDF text selectable while merging forms and annotations into the page. Make PDF uneditable rasterizes each page so there is no selectable text layer.
Does flattening keep digital signature validity?
Flattening preserves the visual appearance of signatures. It does not keep or validate cryptographic digital signature certificates.
Is an uneditable PDF impossible to copy?
No. Removing the text layer stops normal selection and copy in most readers, but it does not guarantee protection against every form of extraction or OCR.
Is my original PDF changed?
No. Flatten creates a new file. Your original upload remains unchanged and is deleted after retention.