How to fill in a PDF form without printing it
Open the form in a PDF form filler, type into each field and save. If the form has real fields, your answers go into them and stay editable. If it is a flat scan with no fields, use a PDF editor to place text on the lines instead. Save a new copy, and flatten it if the recipient must not be able to change the answers.
Fill a PDF form does this in your browser, and the file is never uploaded. Fill a PDF form
Filling in a form
- Open the form in the filler.
- Click each field and type your answer.
- Tick the checkboxes and choose the options the form offers.
- Save the filled copy and open it to check every answer is there.
- If the recipient should not edit it, run it through Flatten PDF before you send it.
Fillable or flat?
A fillable PDF has form fields built in: click a box and a cursor appears. Government, tax and bank forms are usually made this way, and a form filler writes your answers straight into those fields.
A flat PDF is just a picture of a form, often a scan. There is nothing to type into, so the answers have to be placed on top as text. Edit PDF does that: choose Add new text and click on each line.
Forms that will not open properly
Some forms were built with an older Adobe format called XFA. Many browser tools and some desktop readers cannot show them fully. If a form looks blank or asks you to upgrade Adobe Reader, it is probably XFA, and Adobe Acrobat Reader is the dependable way to fill it.
Saving and sending
Save a new copy rather than overwriting the blank, so you can start again if something goes wrong. Before you send it, open the saved file and check every answer is where it should be.
A filled form can still be edited by whoever receives it. If that matters, flatten it: Flatten PDF draws the answers into the page and removes the fields.
If the form needs a signature
Fill it in first, then add a picture of your signature with Sign PDF and save again. Doing it in that order means the signature is the last thing to change.
Questions people ask next
Is it free to fill in a PDF form here?
Yes, within a free daily allowance of edits that it shares with Edit PDF and Sign PDF.
Are my answers uploaded?
No. The form is filled in your browser and saved to your device.
Why can I not type into my form?
It is probably a flat PDF with no fields. Open it in Edit PDF and use Add new text instead.
Can I fill in a PDF form on my phone?
Yes, in a mobile browser, though a larger screen makes small fields easier to hit.