How to Remove Fillable Fields from a PDF Using PDF.co and Zapier
his tutorial shows how to flatten a fillable PDF using PDF.co and Zapier. Flattening converts completed form fields into regular page content, preventing recipients from changing those fields in a PDF viewer.
If you also need to restrict printing, copying, or other document operations, use PDF.co’s PDF Security action separately.
The Zap uses:
- Google Drive — New File in Folder
- PDF.co — PDF Filler
- Google Drive — Upload File
Step 1: Add the Google Drive Trigger
Create a new Zap and select Google Drive as the trigger app.
Choose New File in Folder, connect your account, and select the folder where fillable PDFs will be added.
Test the trigger and select a sample fillable PDF.
Step 2: Add the PDF.co Action
Add another step and select PDF.co.
Choose PDF Filler as the action, click Sign in, and authorize Zapier to access your PDF.co account.
Configure the action:
- Source PDF: Map the File value from Google Drive.
- Output PDF Name: Enter a name such as
flattened-form.pdf. - Leave the text, image, and form-field values empty.
- Custom Profiles: Enter:
{ 'FlattenDocument()': [] }
The FlattenDocument() profile renders the form fields as regular PDF content and removes their interactive behavior.
See the PDF.co PDF Filler documentation for the current action fields and profile options.
Step 3: Test the Flattening Action
Test the PDF.co step. A successful result includes a temporary URL for the flattened PDF.
Open the returned URL and verify that:
- Existing field values remain visible.
- Text fields can no longer be edited.
- Checkboxes, radio buttons, and other form controls are no longer interactive.
Step 4: Save the Flattened PDF
Add Google Drive — Upload File.
Select the destination folder and map the PDF.co output URL into the file field. Map the generated name or provide a descriptive file name.
Step 5: Activate the Zap
Publish the Zap after testing the complete workflow. New fillable PDFs added to the source folder will now be flattened and saved automatically.
In this tutorial, we learned how to remove the fillable fields in an unfilled PDF document using FlattenDocument() in PDF.co. You can also use the FlattenDocument() to turn the PDF form you just filled out into a read-only PDF to restrict others from modifying the data.
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