Windows users will have the " Microsoft Print to PDF" option. Press the Print button, or + on Windows + on Mac.ģ. Open the PDF in the program of your choice. In this example, we'll be using Microsoft Edge.ġ. This method works on Windows, Mac, and more. This is the easiest way to flatten a PDF, and will work on almost any program that you use to view, open, and print PDFs. How to Flatten a PDF for Free (Easiest Method) Unlike Word, DOCX, or other word processing file formats, with PDF, what you see is what you get, ensuring a perfect print. PDFs can capture all the information your printing company needs: formatting, color, images, fonts, etc. This makes them perfect when working with printing companies. So most people know how to work with them or at least are familiar with them.Īfter a PDF is flattened, the contents are in locked into place, and can be viewed on almost any device. They're preferred and used globally across a variety of industries. PDFs are a universally accepted file format. If you can interact with something in the PDF (form field, checkbox, etc.) then it means that your PDF has not been flattened. The best way to tell if a PDF has been flattened is to use the highlighter tool to see if you can highlight or interact with different parts of the PDF. It ensures that all the layers are visible for printing.įlattening reduces the the file size, improves the loading speed, and generally makes PDF files (especially large ones) easier to share with others and collaborate on. Maintains and preservers the structure of the document for a smoother printing experience. This helps ensure that your PDF works as expected within different programs or services this can be when printing, but also when uploading PDFs to the cloud, or working on PDFs in an editorįlattening can also be used to prevent unwanted modifications for your PDF forms or documents. But overall, the three situations that call for flattening are:įlattening a PDF file merges all the contents and elements into a single layer. There are many situations where it's better to have a flattened PDF. You can no longer change, edit, or interact with the elements on the document.Annotations are converted to regular text.Merges all layers & additional elements (text, images, headers, fields, etc.) into a single layer.This means things like checkboxes, radio buttons, fillable form fields, etc. This involves combining all the different layers (annotations, text, images, etc.) on the PDF into a single layer that can't be changed ( except with a PDF editor). When you flatten a PDF you are rendering the PDF and optimizing it so it prints better, the size is smaller, and interactivity is removed. This is why flattening of a PDF files should always be done at the end of your work. Usually, the contents (text, markup, images, annotations, form fields, etc.) of a PDF file are usually in different layers.įlattening a PDF makes the contents more difficult to change or edit. The best way to flatten a PDF is by using a PDF editor.įlattening a PDF combines all the contents in a PDF into one single layer, and locks them into place in the file.Windows users: Microsoft Print to PDF virtual printer come built-in your computer by default. This method works on almost all programs that can view and print PDFs. An easy & free way to flatten a PDF is by using a virtual printer to "Print to PDF".Keep an original version of your PDF file just in case.Flattened PDFs are more challenging to edit.Flattening usually can't be undone, so keep it as your last step before printing or sharing a file. Read on to find the best one for you, or use our Table of Contents and jump to the spot you need. We've covered the best methods for flattening PDFs. But how do you flatten PDF a PDF?įortunately, it's easy to flatten a PDF file, offline, online, and even for free. Or maybe you needed to send a fillable PDF form to someone else, but wanted to be sure that the contents would be secure.įlattening a PDF improves security and prepares PDF files for printing by optimizing the contents and reducing the file size. If you work with PDF files then you've probably needed to print a PDF at one point.
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