Flattening a pdf

The main reason for offering the alternative is that Adobe Acrobat DC and Pro DC are fairly expensive, while the alternative we're showcasing is a fraction of the price but with all the features you'd expect in a pro-level PDF editor. In short, you're exporting the file to a printer and saving it again as a simple PDF with no layers. That method is a little more complex, so we're showing you the simple way. This is useful in many situations, such as when you want to share a filled form but don't want the recipients to change anything on it.

The Adobe flatten PDF function removes the layers of interactive elements and replaces them with a visual equivalent, to put it in simple terms. If you feel that Adobe Acrobat is too expensive, you can consider an affordable Adobe Acrobat alternative. Some PDF applications may not display certain types of annotations accurately.

A common misconception is that once flattened, a PDF can no longer be edited. The truth is that you can still mark up and select objects in a flattened PDF, including bitmap images such as signatures, provided you have a PDF editor such as PDFpen. Instead, use the Scribble tool to sign, then flatten the PDF. Because a scribbled signature is an annotation, not an image, it will merge with other contents forming a single layer in the flattened PDF.

Though there are several tools in the market that can allow the user to flatten the document. But the most commonly used is Adobe Acrobat for its simplicity and ease of use. Also, it is compatible with both Mac and Windows. Here, in this article, we will introduce how to flatten PDF with Adobe acrbat and its alternative.

Step 2. Step 5. After the site finishes flattening your PDF file it will automatically be downloaded to your computer. On top of helping you to manage storage efficiently, it also stops direct editing. Free Download Secure Download. Barack James is highly concentrated and accomplished on the topics of technology! View all posts by Barack James. Skip to content.