How to create a fillable PDF

You have a sheet that people print, fill in by hand and send back. Maybe it is an intake form, a checklist or a sign-up page. You would rather they typed into it. This guide shows how to turn an ordinary PDF into a form, step by step, and where a form you build yourself stops.

The tool for it is Create Fillable PDF. You place the boxes on the page, name them and save a copy. The steps below follow its real buttons and options.

What is a fillable PDF?

A fillable PDF has form fields: boxes a reader can type into, tick or choose from. PDFinish writes standard PDF form fields (an AcroForm), so the file fills in the PDF readers on computers and phones and in browsers. A PDF without fields is a plain page of lines and boxes.

If you only need to fill in someone else's form, you do not need to build anything. See how to fill out a PDF form, or how to fill out a PDF that is not fillable.

How do I create a fillable PDF in my browser?

Add the PDF, press Text box, Checkbox, Radio button, Dropdown or Date to put a field on the page, drag it into place, name it and repeat. Press Create fillable PDF and download the form. Your original file is not changed.

1. Add your PDF. Drop it onto the tool or choose it from your device. If it already has fields, they are listed and kept.
2. Go to the page that needs a box. Press the type of field you want. It appears on the page in view.
3. Drag the field into place and pull a corner to resize it. With the keyboard, arrow keys move it and Shift with an arrow key resizes it.
4. Give the field a name. Say whether it is required, and choose its text size.
5. Repeat for every box. Radio buttons that share a group name let a person pick one answer. For a dropdown, type one choice per line.
6. Press Create fillable PDF and download the form.
7. Open the saved file in a PDF reader, click a box and type, to make sure it works.

The pages, text and pictures underneath are not changed. The tool only adds the fields on top.

A worked example

A freelancer has a one-page intake sheet saved as a PDF. They add a text box for name, a multi-line text box for the project description, a dropdown for budget with one range on each line, and a date box for the start date. They name the fields Name, Project, Budget and Start date, and mark Name and Project as required.

Then they save the form and open it in Fill PDF to try it. They type in every box and fix any box that is too small. When it looks right, they send the form to clients.

Which field should I use?

Pick the field that matches the answer you want. A box for a name and a box for a paragraph are different fields. These are the types the tool offers:

• Text box: a single line, for a name, a number or an email address.
• Multi-line text box: for longer answers, such as a description or a comment.
• Checkbox: for a yes or no, or a list where several can apply.
• Radio button: for one answer out of a few. Give the buttons the same group name.
• Dropdown: for a fixed list of choices. Type one choice per line.
• Date: a text box that shows your date format, such as MM/DD/YYYY, in its tooltip.

How do I set the order the Tab key follows?

The Tab key follows the Tab order list, which starts as the order you placed the fields. Move a field up or down in the list, or press Sort top to bottom to follow the page from top to bottom and left to right. Test it by pressing Tab through your saved form.

Can a fillable PDF add up numbers or format dates?

Not one built here. PDFinish does not put scripts in your files, so a date box does not reformat what is typed and a box will not work out a total. The date format only appears in the tooltip and limits the length. If you need totals, check the sums by hand, or start from a template that already adds up, such as the freelance invoice template. For a full invoice walk-through, see how to make a free invoice template.

Do I need to build the form at all?

Not always. If you want a common document, a ready-made template saves time. The move-in inspection and rental application are two for landlords, and the sign-in sheet suits an office or an event. Build your own when your form is unique to you.

Common problems and fixes

• A new field name is not accepted. It clashes with a field the PDF already has. Pick a different name.
• People can tick more than one radio button. The buttons do not share a group name. Give them the same one.
• The Tab key jumps around. The Tab order follows the order you placed the fields. Press Sort top to bottom.
• Typed text is cut off. The box or the text size is too small. Resize the box or pick a smaller size.
• You want to lock the answers after someone fills the form. Fill it in Fill PDF and flatten it, which locks the answers into the page.

Where does your file go?

Forms often hold names, prices and addresses. Create Fillable PDF places the fields in your browser tab and saves the new copy there, so the file is not sent to our servers.

A short checklist

• Keep a copy of your original PDF.
• Give every field a clear name.
• Mark the boxes people must answer as required.
• Check the Tab order.
• Fill in the saved form once yourself before you send it.

2 free uses in total, no account needed. Free files can be up to 50 MB, and Pro allows up to 500 MB.

Sources

• PDFinish's own Create Fillable PDF page, for the field types, naming, required boxes, Tab order and the limits on scripts, as of November 2026.