How to fill out a PDF form on your phone or computer

A PDF form looks simple until you try to fill one in. Some let you click and type. Some do nothing when you click. Some print out fine but look broken once you save them. This guide explains why, and what to do in each case.

It covers how to fill a form, not what to put in it. For that, follow the instructions that came with the form, or ask a professional. This is general information and not legal or tax advice.

First, find out what kind of form you have

PDF forms come in three kinds, and the kind decides how you fill them.

• Fillable forms have real fields: text boxes, checkboxes, radio buttons and dropdown lists. You click and type.
• Flat forms look like a form, but it is only a picture of one. There are no fields to click. You add text on top of the page.
• Older dynamic forms use a format called XFA. Many browsers and tools cannot fill these. They usually need the program that made them.

A quick test: open the PDF and click a blank box. If a cursor appears, it is fillable. If nothing happens, it is probably flat.

Fill a fillable form

These steps use Fill PDF, which runs in your browser.

1. Add your form. Drop the PDF onto the page or choose it from your device. The tool finds the fields and lets you type into them.
2. Fill in the fields. Click a box and type, tick a checkbox, pick one radio option, or choose from a list. Check your answers on the page.
3. Choose how to save. You can flatten the form or keep it fillable. Then download.

Flatten or keep it fillable?

This is the choice that causes the most confusion, so here is the plain version.

• Flatten makes your answers part of the page. They look the same in every program and cannot be changed by accident. Choose this when you are sending the form to someone else.
• Keep fillable leaves the fields live. You or someone else can edit the answers later. Choose this when you are not finished, or want to reuse the form.

If you are unsure, save one of each. Keep the fillable one for yourself and send the flattened one.

Fill a form with no fields

When the form is flat, use Edit PDF. Choose Text, click the page where an answer goes, then type. You can also add a checkmark or an X mark for boxes, and a date. Drag items into place or nudge them with the arrow keys.

Take your time lining things up. Zoom in so your text sits on the line, not above or below it. If you make a mistake, undo works as you go.

Filling forms on a phone

It works in a phone browser, with a few habits that help.

• Turn your phone sideways. A wider page makes it easier to tap the right box.
• Zoom in on the field before you type.
• Use your phone's autofill carefully. It may add the wrong address or name to a field.
• Save and check the final PDF before you send it. Phone keyboards cause small typos.

Common problems and fixes

• You click and nothing happens. The form is probably flat. Use Edit PDF to type on top of the page.
• The tool says the form cannot be filled in a browser. It may use the older XFA format. Open it in the program that made it, or ask the sender for a standard version.
• Your text is cut off. Shorten it, or pick a form that allows multiple lines. Long answers sometimes need a separate attached page.
• The form looks different after you send it. You probably saved it fillable and the other person's program drew it differently. Flatten it next time.
• The file is too big to email. Use Compress PDF before you send it.

Get ready before you open the form

A few minutes of preparation saves a lot of retyping. Read the instructions that came with the form first, because they often explain which sections you can skip. Gather the details you will need, such as names, addresses, dates and reference numbers, so you are not hunting for them halfway through.

Then work on a copy. Rename the file before you start, for example by adding your name and the date, so you never overwrite the blank original. If the form is long, save your progress as a fillable copy and come back to it.

Privacy: where are your answers going?

Forms often hold names, addresses, dates of birth and account numbers. Some online sites upload the form to their servers so they can fill it. PDFinish fills forms in your browser, so what you type stays on your device. Whatever tool you pick, check how it handles your files.

A short checklist

• Click a blank box to see if the form is fillable.
• Read the instructions from whoever issued the form before you start.
• Fill in every field that applies, then review the whole page.
• Flatten before sending, and keep a fillable copy for yourself.
• Check the saved file once before you send it.

Free to start: 2 tasks a day without an account, and 10 with a free email account.