How to Flatten a PDF on iPhone (Make Annotations Permanent)
Permanently merge form fields, signatures, and markup into PDF pages on iPhone in Safari — no app needed. Works on iPad too.
After signing or annotating a PDF on iPhone, the markup is a separate layer that not all PDF readers display correctly. FixMyPDF's flatten tool in Safari merges everything into the permanent page content — a quick tap and download.
Open Safari and Go to the Flatten Tool
Open Safari on your iPhone and go to fixmypdf.in/tools/flatten-pdf. Tap "Select PDF" to choose the annotated or form-filled PDF from your Files app.
Why Flatten After Signing on iPhone
When you sign a PDF using iOS Markup or our sign tool, the signature is stored as an annotation. Some email clients, document management systems, and PDF viewers on other platforms display annotation-layer signatures differently — or not at all. Flattening bakes the signature into the page so it appears everywhere.
Tap Flatten and Download
Tap "Flatten PDF" — processing takes a few seconds. The flattened PDF downloads to your Downloads folder. Open it to verify that form values and annotations are now fixed on the page, then share via AirDrop, Mail, or iMessage.
Before Submitting Forms on iPhone
If you fill in a PDF form on iPhone (using iOS's built-in form filling) and need to submit it, flatten first. This ensures the receiving system — whether it's an email inbox, a web form upload, or a document portal — displays your filled values correctly regardless of its PDF engine.
Flattening Before Printing from iPhone
When you AirPrint a filled PDF form from iPhone and the printed page shows blank fields, flatten the PDF first. The flattened version prints with all filled values visible because the content is now in the base page layer.
Works on iPad
Flattening works identically on iPad with the same Safari workflow. If you've heavily annotated a PDF with Apple Pencil, flatten it before sharing to ensure the handwriting appears correctly in all recipients' PDF readers.
After Flattening on iPhone
A flattened PDF is ready for final sharing. Compress it on iPhone for smaller file size, or add a password before sending sensitive documents. Both tools are free in Safari.
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Open Flatten PDF