How to "flatten" a pdf in Adobe Acrobat X Pro

Report · Dec 29, 2012

Is there a feature in Adobe Acrobat X Pro similar to that in Bluebeam that allows the user to "flatten" the pdf? What this means is that images, text boxes and other additions to the pdf become seamlessly integrated into the pdf, guaranteeing they will display on other users' computers and when printed.

Report · Oct 29, 2013

"Flattening" has a very specific meaning in PDF, and you're not using the term properly. It refers to the process of turning annotations and markup into regular page content; nothing more, nothing less. Flattening does not merge layers, it does not combine text an image objects, it does not create outlines. The PDF file remains editable in Acrobat Pro, because that's what Acrobat Pro is designed to do.

Turning something into a bitmap is called rasterising, and to Acrobat it makes no sense as part of a forms workflow, as the end result is no longer a PDF file.

If you want to stop someone with Acrobat Pro from making edits to a PDF file, you apply security to it. You don't turn it into a screenshot - as that would also be editable to anyone with Photoshop and the changes would be completely undetectable. PDFs are searchable, they can be digitally encrypted, they are accessibility-compliant and you can control who opens them with DRM. None of those things are possible with bitmaps.

If your forms were digitally signed by the person who filled them in then all this would be moot, as every possible change would be detectable.

Report · Oct 29, 2013

In the end they are going up on a public site so its available to download by anyone.

Limiting access isnt an option.

Report · Oct 29, 2013

None of the 8 elements I suggested would stop it being downloaded by anyone.

Just consider: they can download it, but they can't edit your original. Flattening won't stop them making a fake form if that gives them an advantage - only signatures protect against fraud.

Report · Nov 18, 2013

I happened upon this discussion and i see that it has been going on for a very long time. People who are accustomed to 3rd party programs to make PDFs are used to a simple flatten button. I achieve the same thing in Acrobat by printing the document to Acrobat and making a new PDF. It is not messy and crooked as if I had printed it and scanned it, the next person who gets it can still type where I have not typed, and swiping my signature is a little bit harder. Without password protection, that is the best way i have found to "flatten" like 3rd party programs do.

Report · Nov 18, 2013

Refrying (printing a PDF to PDF) does no end of bad things and does nothing to prevent Acrobat users from editing the content. Don't do it unless you fully understand the implications.

Report · Nov 25, 2013

Obviously since many people have requested an answer to this issue, it is something people want. Regardless of whether you think it should be done or not. There may be situations that you can't fathom at this time that truly do require what is being asked. I am another that would like this function. Even though you think it's "terrible", "does no end of bad things", and "no reason anyone should be doing it"; I still want the function because it's what I believe I need to get my job done. So if anyone has a real answer to get done what was asked in the first place, please chime in. Otherwise I will also continue to print to pdf to "flatten" it (it also really doesn't matter what the "true" definition of flatten may be, I think by now it's known what is being asked for).

Report · Nov 25, 2013

'what was asked in the first place', i.e. to turn form fields and annotations into page content, has been answered several times in this thread and doesn't involve refrying. Run Preflight or use a script in Acrobat.

If you insist on refrying a file and it's not encrypted, Acrobat will happily let you print to Distiller's virtual printer - but that doesn't negate the fact it's a terrible idea. You're destroying the document structure, accessibility tags, metadata, links, layers, transparency, scripts and color profiles, all of which are there for a reason.

The thread's been hijacked with questions about preventing subsequent editing of the page content, which has nothing whatsoever to do with flattening. Acrobat will edit/delete/replace anything on the page without leaving any trace, it doesn't care one jot whether it's a form field or not, or if the PDF was a refry. The only way to stop that happening is to apply encryption with digital signatures and/or DRM.

Report · Nov 25, 2013

The originial post wanted "images, text boxes and other additions to the pdf become seamlessly integrated into the pdf". Not to turn form fields and annotations in page content. It doesn't negate that you think it's a terrible dea. That's a matter of opinion. I don't care that it destroys any of the things you mention. I'm not looking for suggestions on a "better" method including encryption and/or DRM. The simple question still remains without a simple "one button" solution. And maybe that's just the way things are with Acrobat.

Report · Nov 25, 2013

That's now an interesting question, because to me, text boxes and images already are the PDF, and are an integrated part of it.

Unless they are annotations, which you say they are not (I can only make sense of the original question if we are talking about annotations aka comments).

Such text and images would still be integrated - no more, no less - after printing to PDF.

So... what is the change you are seeing from doing a print to PDF?

Report · Nov 25, 2013

Printing to pdf simply makes these text boxes, images, etc not clickable by any method. I realize the pdf can still be edited with additional text boxes, etc. I would like to be able to hit one button that will "flatten" and save immediately so that no boxes or anything is clickable at all.

Report · Nov 25, 2013

I think you are saying that they are annotations in that case. If that's so, the methods of flattening annotations are surely relevant?

Report · Nov 25, 2013

What would be your ideal "method of flattening annotations"? Just to make sure I'm on the same page

Report · Nov 25, 2013

The most conventient method was mentioned in the first response in this thread.

Report · Nov 25, 2013

I just did some testing. And you and Dave are correct. My mistake (and I imagine some others) was not realizing that printing to pdf (using Adobe PDF printer anyhow) does seem to do the same thing as the widget flattener: changes the text to page content (I'm sure the widget does it more intelligently without getting rid of useful info as mentioned). I thought that after printing to pdf, I would not be able to edit the text with Tools -> Content -> Edit Object/Edit Document Text; but I was able to do so. I've looked back thru a lot of past pdf's and was able to do the same. So this widget will work for what I need, no unwanted selections when panning, etc! Apologies for my ignorance; hopefully this will help out some other folks unless they need it to be uneditable 100%. Maybe the Distiller virtual printer that Dave mentioned would work in that case.

Report · Nov 26, 2013

In blubeam revu extreme, you can un-flatten, which is extremely ideal that adobe does not have a function for in it's products, and flatten with one button. I find bluebeam very efficient however, the only problem is tabbing to indent a paragraph within an annotation tool or within a textbox goes to the next textbox instead of indenting a paragraph space. Any other ideas besides bluebeam, please express your thoughts and ideas. Thanks!

Report · Nov 27, 2013

The way to prevent the text editing tools from being available in Acrobat is to apply security to the document. There are different types you can use, some being more secure than others. Using Distiller is the same as printing to PDF.

Report · Dec 19, 2013

Hello! I need to combine a number of Acrobat Reader Extended PDF forms - filled in by clients - into a single combined PDF with the form fields flattened. Because the form fields are named identically, the Combine Files gives error:

"Any form fields that have the same name in the merged documents are now merged into one field. If you want the values in these fields to be unique, then you need to create a PDF Portfolio instead of merging the files. To create a PDF Portfolio, choose File > Create PDF Portfolio."

- and the values need to be unique but PDF Portfolio is not an option. Creating action for Preflight > Flatten Annotations and Form Fields doesn't work, as preflight errors:

"Preflight is unable to perform any fixups on this document as its author did not grant the necessary permissions. Permissions can be restricted by using encryption or digital signatures."

- but if I "Save a Copy…" to disable the extended features for editing in Reader, the preflight flattening works. Now the question is, how do I batch remove the extended features from a folder of files to enable the preflight flattening?

Report · Dec 19, 2013

Reader-Extended rights cannot be processed in bulk with Actions. Adobe want customers who work with large numbers of RE-enabled documents to buy LiveCycle.

Antti Hietaniemi wrote:
Now the question is, how do I batch remove the extended features from a folder of files to enable the preflight flattening?

Report · Oct 29, 2013

You seem to have decided on your workflow, but just in case here are some thoughts on archiving filled in forms. All of these will be used by someone.

1. Export the form data and archive only that. Advantage: small, easy to analyse, easy to reimport as required. Disadvantage: no specific security.

2. Flatten the form. Advantage: no longer fillable. Disadvantages: much harder to analyse, no security, still editable.

3. Rasterise the form. Advantage: none. Disadvantages: bigger,impossible to analyse, still editable (with more work).

4. Set password security. Advantage: not editable in Adobe tools. Undoable with password. Analysable. Disadvantage: crackable

5. Save as PDF/A. Advantage: understood to be a final format. Disadvantage: may be harder to analyse. Easily undone.

6. Set signature. Advantage: absololute detection of tampering (note: seek advice as certificates expire after a period, and can leave the signatures useless). Still editable if needed. Disadvantage: still editable. Needs signature managment.

7. Put in a secure place (forget the PDF issue). Advantage: automatic protection of everything. Disadvantage: accessible to administrators.

8. Back up for reference, send off site. Well, clearly you'd be doing off site backups anyway if the data is important and the company prudent, but you may not keep old archives. Advantage: physical security. Disadvantage: hard to detect tampering.

Report · May 12, 2014

Acrobat XI Pro does not work as well as previous versions-without a "flatten" workaround. For example, using "Combine Files into PDF" function, Acrobat will not work if one or more of your WORD docs has a text layer (such as in a WORD template to produce a letterhead). The text layer will not print to PDF, although this function works fine in previous versions. It will convert your WORD docs to PDF, but if any WORD doc has a text layer, it will not be converted. It will show up as a blank space. I have a letterhead text layer that has my work credentials. It does not show up on the converted PDF, using the bundle (Combine Files into PDF) function. Tech Supports workaround for this is to first create a PDF from the WORD page that has a text layer by first clicking on Acrobat, at the top of the monitor page, then clicking on Create PDF. Save the PDF, which will have the printed text layer. Then go to Combine Files into PDF and include that already created PDF page in the bundle. That will work, but it's another step you have to go through to create your bundle, i.e., your work flow is interrupted by having to accomplish the workaround (documented in Adobe Case No. 0185444461). Acrobat Pro 9 extended did not need this workaround - nor did previous versions. Tech Supports comment was that Adobe changed a lot of things - in this case, not for the good.

Report · Apr 29, 2014

Best answer yet.........and so easy.

Follow this link, and use a simple java script.

http://www.planetpdf.com/enterprise/article.asp?ContentID=Flatten_PDF_documents_in_Acrobat

Report · Sep 17, 2014

Everyone here has it wrong!!!! I am a bit annoyed with the Adobe experts here. I spent hours researching this and nobody has the answer. BUT - the fix is simple:

Zmags Community Portal

I never spend the time to post on any boards but this deserved it. Best of luck

Report · Dec 13, 2014

Flattening by printing to the Adobe PDF printer will do the job, but will delete all bookmarks and related items. There are also issues with graphics that have been mentioned by the Adobe folks in the past, though my eyes have never really observed a difference. Usually, refrying (printing to PDF) is not recommended by Adobe. I will admit that I do it, but I generally am aware of what I might expect.

Report · Nov 17, 2014

Here is the answer for the latest Acrobat XI Pro as of 11/17/2014:

Tools / Protection / Sanitize Document (under -Hidden Information-)

Seems to work just like flatten used to, quick and easy.

Does change the appearance of fonts however. Looks like a scan now, which suits my purposes anyway.

Report · Nov 17, 2014

The best way of doing it remains using a script. Basically all you need is this command:

this.flattenPages();