Fill PDF form online

A free PDF filler for both kinds of form: fillable ones with real fields, and flat ones where you just need to type on the lines and tick the boxes.

Runs in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded. No sign-up, no watermark.

Loading the editor…

How to fill out a PDF form

If the form is fillable

  1. Open the PDF. Fields are detected and highlighted in light violet; the Form panel lists them all.
  2. Type into the boxes on the page, or in the panel if the boxes are tiny on a phone. Tab moves to the next field.
  3. Choose whether to flatten. Leave it on for a finished form; turn it off if someone still needs to edit it.
  4. Sign if needed with the Sign tool, then Download PDF.

If the form is flat (scanned or "print and fill")

  1. Pick Text, tap just above each line and type. Set the size to match the printed text (10–12 is typical).
  2. Use Check, Cross or Dot for tick boxes and the Date tool for date lines.
  3. Switch to Select to line everything up, then download.

Stuck on a field called something like topmostSubform[0].Page1[0].f1_07[0]? Open the Form panel and press Explain these fields. An AI model reads just the field names and suggests what each probably wants and in which format.

Fillable vs flat forms, and why flattening matters

A fillable PDF (an "AcroForm") has interactive boxes stored separately from the printed page. Your answers live in those boxes, which is why a half-filled form can be reopened and edited, and also why some phone viewers show them blank. Flattening copies each answer onto the page and removes the box.

Filling forms safely

  • Forms carry the most personal data of any PDF you'll handle. Here the file is read and written in your browser; there's no server copy to worry about.
  • Check dates against the form's instructions: US forms usually want MM/DD/YYYY, most other countries DD/MM/YYYY.
  • Before sending, open the downloaded file in a second viewer (Preview, Chrome or Acrobat) to confirm every answer shows.

Questions people ask

How do I know if my PDF form is fillable?

Open it here: if the Form panel shows fields and the boxes on the page turn light violet, it is fillable. If the panel says no fields were found, it is a flat form and you type onto it with the Text tool instead.

Why can't I see the fields in my government form?

Some official forms, especially older IRS and immigration forms made with Adobe LiveCycle, use XFA, a format that only Adobe Reader fully supports. PDF Notepad warns you when a file contains XFA. The Text, Check and Date tools still work on the printed boxes.

What does "Flatten on download" do?

It turns your answers into ordinary page content, so they print and display identically everywhere and cannot be retyped in a viewer. Untick it if the recipient needs to keep editing the fields.

Can I save a half-filled form and finish later?

Download it with Flatten unticked. The fields stay live, so you can open the downloaded file here again and carry on.

Is there a free PDF filler with no subscription?

Yes, this one. There is no trial that turns into a subscription, no account and no watermark. Paid fillers mainly add cloud storage, sending for signature and team features.

How do I fill out a PDF form on my phone?

Open this page in your phone browser, choose the PDF, and tap a field: the keyboard opens. On small screens it is easier to type in the Form panel, which lists every field with a full-width box.

What does the AI field helper send?

Only the list of field names, types and choices, which are often cryptic codes like "f1_03[0]". It never sends the PDF itself or anything you typed into the fields.

Other things you can do here