Flattening Text

The annotation layer floats above the content layer in a PDF file, like a sheet of glass on top of a printed sheet of paper. The content layer contains images, form fields, and most text. When you convert a Word document to a PDF, the content written by the original author forms the content layer. Many PDF files contain the content layer only. Comments and markup are superimposed on the content layer. Annotations are distinct from the main page content in the PDF file and they can be edited, moved or deleted without affecting anything on the content layer.

When you save a PDF file, the annotation layer and content layer are saved in the same file, but kept as separate objects. This makes it easy for anyone to edit annotations without changing the content.

Moving text from the annotation layer to the content layer is known as flattening text.

How to Flatten Text:

To flatten text, do one of the following:

To transfer a selected text annotation to the content layer, right-click on the text annotation, and select Flatten Selection from the menu
To transfer all text from the annotation layer to the content layer, right-click on a text annotation, and select Flatten All from the menu
To flatten all annotations from the annotation later to the content layer, and save the PDF file in one step, select Save As from the File menu, and then Flattened PDF. This flattens all annotations, including form fields, sticky notes, links, and other markup annotations.

Additional resources:

Want to know more? Check out this training guide and video for further information.

Saving a Flattened PDF »