What changes
Flattening removes all form fields, including unchanged fields, after drawing their appearances. Leave it off when supported controls must remain editable.
Fill PDF forms
Fill standard PDF text, checkbox, radio, dropdown and option-list fields locally, then keep them editable or flatten their appearance.
Runs locallyNo uploadYou control saved copies
Standard AcroForm editor
Text, checkbox, radio, dropdown and option-list values are updated locally. Dynamic XFA editing and certificate-backed signing are not supported.
Local pdf-lib worker · no upload · cancellable
Fill standard AcroForm fields in the browser
The worker discovers standard text, checkbox, radio, dropdown and option-list fields. You can keep them editable or flatten their appearances into page content.
For a reliable result
- Choose the PDF and inspect its supported fields.
- Enter values, respecting required and read-only indicators.
- Choose editable or flattened output, then reopen and verify every value.
Check the download
Check names, options and checkbox states in another viewer. Required indicators are reminders, not complete submission validation. Certificate-backed signing is not supported.
Know before processing
Dynamic XFA fails closed, and current appearance generation supports basic Latin. Complex calculations and viewer scripts are not executed.
Quick answers
- Which PDF form fields are supported?
- Standard AcroForm text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdowns and option lists are supported. Dynamic XFA forms, scripts and certificate-signature fields are not filled.
- Should I keep the form editable or flatten it?
- Keep fields editable when someone must change them later. Flattening draws the current appearances into the pages for wider viewing, but removes those interactive controls.
Fill existing PDF fields and decide whether to keep them editable
This tool discovers standard AcroForm fields already present in a PDF and lets you change supported values. It handles text, checkboxes, radio choices, dropdowns and option lists. It does not create new fields on a flat scan or infer answers from blank lines printed on a page.
Start by inspecting the fields, then read their names and existing values before changing them. The interface lists field controls rather than placing them over a page preview. Keep the source open in a suitable PDF viewer when you need the surrounding instructions to understand a field's purpose.
Choose the right form and output state
| Your situation | Recommended approach |
|---|---|
| The PDF contains supported fields that need new values. | Inspect the form, change the relevant controls and keep flattening off if the recipient must edit them later. Read-only controls and unsupported field types cannot be changed through this interface. |
| The recipient needs a fixed visual copy. | Consider the flatten option after completing and checking the values. It flattens the entire form, including unedited fields, rather than only the fields you changed. Retain an editable original and inspect every appearance. |
| A scan or dynamic XFA form is not editable here. | A scan has no form fields to fill; use an appropriate text-overlay workflow or obtain a fillable source. For XFA, use the form's intended application or obtain a standard AcroForm version. |
Update the sample's review field and keep it editable
The five-page sample contains one standard text field named example.review, initially set to Reviewed locally. Use it to check the distinction between saving a value and flattening a form.
- Choose device-document-lab.pdf using Choose form PDF, then select Inspect form fields.
- Locate example.review and change Reviewed locally to Ready to share. This changes an existing field; it does not add a new label to the page.
- Leave Flatten all form fields clear. Select Create completed PDF and download the completed file.
- Open the downloaded file in a form-capable viewer. Confirm five pages remain, example.review shows Ready to share, and the text field is still editable.
Expected result. The result should report one updated field and Field state: Still editable. The sample's ordinary page content should remain. This exercise checks a standard text field, not every form type or complex calculation found in other PDFs.
Check the downloaded result
- Compare every changed value in the downloaded PDF with the intended answer. Check checkbox states, radio choices and selected list options as well as text.
- Inspect how values appear inside their page areas. A correctly saved long string can still be difficult to read or clipped by a form's existing design.
- Review required fields and any calculations yourself. Required labels describe field flags; the tool does not establish that the form is complete, recalculate scripted totals or submit it to its issuer.
- If you enable flattening, inspect every field appearance and confirm that losing editability is acceptable. A saved file with no remaining fields is not proof that every visual value rendered correctly.
Troubleshooting
- No fillable fields are found, or XFA is reported.
Printed boxes can be ordinary page artwork rather than interactive fields. Dynamic XFA uses a form representation this editor does not support.
Try this: Obtain a standard fillable AcroForm if available. Use the issuer's intended application for XFA, or a text-overlay tool for a flat document when that meets the recipient's requirements.
- Create completed PDF asks me to change a field.
At least one editable value must differ from the source. Selecting flattening alone does not count as a change in this workflow.
Try this: Make the intended field change before saving. For an unchanged document that only needs image-based flattening, review the separate Flatten PDF tool and its whole-page trade-offs.
- Text cannot be rendered or an option is rejected.
Changed text currently supports basic Latin characters, and choice fields accept their existing options. The built-in appearance font cannot represent every script.
Try this: Keep the original and use a suitable editor when exact spelling requires unsupported characters. For a choice field, select one of the listed values rather than inventing a new option.
Limits and compatibility
- Form logic and preservation
- The tool does not execute form calculations or viewer scripts. Cryptographic signature fields are not signed or validated. Flattening removes form interactivity across the document, so do not treat the output as an unchanged signed original.
- Limits and local copies
- Processing takes place in your browser. File and page limits apply, forms above 250 fields are rejected, and choice fields above 100 options are unsupported. Password-protected inputs require an authorised unlocked copy first.
Your files and form values are processed on this device. Downloaded copies remain wherever you save them. See how to check local processing and our privacy policy for site data and optional services.
Common questions
- Does field flattening turn every PDF page into an image?
- No. This form option draws saved field appearances into page content and removes the form fields. The separate Flatten PDF tool rasterises whole pages; the two operations have different consequences.
- Can I fill a signature field with a digital certificate?
- No. Certificate signing and validation are outside this tool. Adding a visible signature image is also a different operation from creating a cryptographic signature.
Continue your document workflow
Maintained by Shakti Prasad Ram. Found a mismatch? Report the tool, browser and steps without sending a sensitive document. Back to the tool