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Some PDF forms have real form fields: you click in a box and type. Others are just a scan or a flat page with lines to write on. Fill PDF handles both. It lists the form fields you can type in, and you can also click anywhere on a page to add your own text, a check mark or a cross.
Two kinds of PDF forms
- Fillable forms have form fields built in: text boxes, checkboxes, radio buttons and dropdowns. Fill PDF shows them as a list, grouped by page, with each field’s label.
- Flat forms are pages with lines and boxes but no fields, for example a scanned paper form. Fill PDF tells you the PDF has no fillable fields, and you add text by clicking on the page where it should go.
Many forms are a mix: some fields work, and the rest you fill in by placing text on the page.
How to fill in a PDF form
- Open Fill PDF and choose your form. Drop the PDF into the box or click to choose it. The tool works on one PDF at a time. If the form needs a password to open, type it in the preview.
- Fill in the form fields. They appear under Form fields, grouped by page. Type in the text fields, tick checkboxes and pick an option in dropdowns. Fields you leave alone stay as they are.
- Add text where there is no field. Click on the page below, at the spot where your text should go, and type. Use Add text box for another line of text, and the ✓ and ✗ buttons for a check mark or a cross. Choose a size between 8 and 24 pt, in black or blue.
- Check every page. Move between pages with the arrows. Drag a box to put it in the right place; on a keyboard, select it with Tab and move it with the arrow keys.
- Decide whether to flatten the form. Tick Flatten the form afterwards if nobody should change your answers. The fields then become part of the page and can no longer be edited. Leave it unticked if someone still has to fill in their part.
- Click Save filled PDF and download it. You get a new copy that ends in -filled.pdf. The original form on your device stays unchanged.
What about the signature?
Fill PDF skips signature fields and buttons, and tells you how many fields it couldn’t change. To put your signature on the form, open the filled copy in Sign PDF and place it there. Sign a PDF without printing or scanning walks you through it.
Good to know
- Text that is already printed in the PDF can’t be changed. You fill in fields and add text on top; you don’t edit the existing wording.
- Calculated fields don’t update themselves. If a form adds up totals with a script, those scripts don’t run here. Type the total yourself.
- Forms with a digital certificate signature: filling them in makes that signature invalid, and the tool only tells you after saving. Ask the sender for an unsigned version if the signature matters.
- Some government forms are purely dynamic XFA forms. Those don’t open in most PDF programs, including this one. Open them in a desktop PDF program that supports XFA.
- A form you opened with its password comes back without a password. Use Protect PDF to add one again before you send it.
- Accents and other alphabets work. Emoji and rare symbols can’t be drawn in a form field or text box.
Filling in happens in your browser, so your file isn’t uploaded to a server. That matters for forms full of personal details, like a Social Security number or a date of birth. Verify that no PDF is uploaded explains how to check it yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Can I fill in a PDF form that has no fields?
Yes. The tool tells you the PDF has no fillable form fields. Click on the page where your text should go and type, or add a check mark or a cross. That also works on a scanned paper form.
Can the recipient still change my answers?
If you leave Flatten the form afterwards unticked, the form fields stay editable. Tick it, and the answers become part of the page so they can no longer be changed in the fields.
Why can’t I sign in the signature field?
Signature fields and buttons can’t be changed in Fill PDF. Save your filled-in form first, then add your signature with Sign PDF.
Is my form uploaded?
No. Filling in happens in your browser, so your file isn’t uploaded to a server. You can check it yourself in your browser’s network tab.