Flatten PDF
Flattening renders each page to a picture and builds a new PDF from those images, so the original text content is removed rather than merely hidden. Use it to share a PDF that no longer has a directly selectable text layer.
Open Flatten PDF tool Runs in your browser - files are never uploadedHow to use it
- Add a PDF that has selectable text.
- Choose the output resolution and image quality.
- Run the tool, then preview and download the flattened PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded?
No. The PDF is rendered to images locally and rebuilt in your browser.
Does flattening make my PDF confidential?
No. Flattening removes the selectable text layer, but OCR can recover text from the page images, and metadata, annotations or attachments may still be present. For genuinely sensitive information, use a dedicated redaction tool that deletes the underlying content — FileKit does not provide one.
Why did the file get bigger?
Text and vector graphics are compact, while full-page images are not. Higher resolution and lossless (PNG) output increase the size further.
What do I lose?
Text search, copy/paste and text editing stop working, and screen readers and other accessibility features that rely on text can no longer read the content.