What is a flattened PDF?
A PDF document usually has multiple layers with different content or information in each layer. When you flatten a PDF, the previously separate contents of the document merge into one. In short, after flattening, multiple layers of text, images, page numbers, and header styles become a single layer. Interactive elements in PDF forms (checkboxes, text boxes, radio buttons, drop-down lists, etc.) are no longer fillable, and annotations become native text.
Why flatten PDFs?
Flattening the PDF ensures that:
- the information cannot be changed when someone else is viewing the PDF,
- all visual elements are printed correctly (flattening a PDF removes transparency information and converts images to a format the printer can read),
- annotations are readable in all PDF readers,
- the usability of the PDF is improved.
How to flatten a PDF?
Flatten the PDF in Adobe Acrobat, or use one of many web-based PDF editors, such as PDF2Go. After you have converted the PDF to an image, you can convert it back to PDF using the JPG to PDF converter.
