How do I fill out a fillable PDF form?
To fill a PDF form, drop it into FixDoks's Fill PDF Form tool, which scans for fillable fields and lists them grouped by page. Complete each text field, checkbox, radio button or dropdown, turn on Flatten after filling to lock the answers, then click Save filled PDF. The filling happens entirely inside your browser.
Fill PDF Form at a glance
| Input | Fillable PDF form |
|---|---|
| Output | Completed PDF |
| Processing | In your browser; your files are not uploaded |
| Price | Free, no watermark |
| Download | Free Google sign-in |
| Works on | Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone |
How to use Fill PDF Form
- Drop your PDF. FixDoks scans it for fillable fields and lists them grouped by page.
- Fill in each text field, tick checkboxes, choose radio buttons and pick options from dropdowns and lists.
- Turn on Flatten after filling if you want the answers locked so they cannot be edited again.
- Click Save filled PDF to download your completed form.
What is a fillable PDF form?
Many official PDFs, from job applications to bank account opening forms, are built with real form fields embedded in the file: text boxes, checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdowns and list boxes that any PDF reader can recognise. FixDoks reads that field structure directly, so instead of guessing where to place text on the page, it shows you a normal-looking web form built from the PDF's own fields, grouped by the page they appear on, using the field names from the original document.
Filling each field type
- Text fields, including multi-line text boxes for longer answers like an address, work like any text input.
- Checkboxes toggle on and off with a click or tap.
- Radio buttons let you pick one option from a group, such as a gender or category selector.
- Dropdowns and list boxes open a list of the choices the form's designer built in, so you cannot type an answer that was not one of the options.
Flattening after filling
Turning on Flatten after filling merges your answers permanently into the page so they display correctly everywhere and cannot be accidentally changed later, which is useful before emailing a completed form or uploading it to a portal that does not read form fields well. Leave it off if you or someone else might need to correct an answer afterwards.
If the PDF has no fillable fields
Not every form you receive is built this way. Many government notices, admit cards and printed application forms are just scanned images or plain PDFs with blank lines and no real fields behind them. FixDoks will tell you plainly when it finds no fillable fields, and points you to two alternatives: Fill and sign PDF, which lets you type text and tick boxes anywhere on the page by eye, or PDF editor for more general markup like shapes and images.
Signature fields
Some forms include a dedicated signature field. This tool focuses on the data fields; use Sign PDF to add a drawn, typed or uploaded signature, including onto a signature field if the form has one.
Comparison
| Situation | Tool |
|---|---|
| PDF has real fillable fields | Fill PDF form (this page) |
| Scanned or printed form, no fields | Fill and sign PDF |
| Need to add a signature | Sign PDF |
Tips
Check dropdown and list values carefully; a wrong selection is easy to miss compared to typed text. If a text field looks too small for your answer, it is usually still fine as forms often auto-shrink the printed text, but flatten the form and review the saved PDF before sending it anywhere important. Save a copy of the unflattened version first if you expect to make changes later, since flattening cannot be undone once the file is saved.