Create a fillable PDF form

How to make a PDF fillable

1. Start from your document. Export your form from Word, Google Docs or Pages as a PDF, or use a scan. Drop it in the box above.
2. Pick a field type and tap the page. Choose Text and tap the blank line next to "Name", choose Checkbox and tap each square, and so on. The field appears where you tapped; drag it to line it up and pull the pink dot to resize.
3. Name your fields. Clear names such as tenant_name or start_date make the collected answers easy to read later, especially if you export the data to a spreadsheet.
4. Set options. Type the choices for a dropdown, group radio buttons, mark fields as required, or fix the font size for small boxes.
5. Download the form. Press Create fillable PDF. Open the file in any PDF reader to try it before you send it out.

A good fillable form is boring in the best way: fields are big enough for real answers, tab from top to bottom, and use checkboxes instead of "circle one". Leave a little room inside each box — a 20-point-tall text field fits standard 10–12 point text comfortably.

Examples

• Volunteer sign-up sheet: ten rows of name, phone and email text fields plus a "Over 18" checkbox per row.
• Client intake form: a "Preferred contact" radio group (Phone / Email / Text), a multi-line "Reason for visit" box and a signature field.
• Equipment checkout: a dropdown of item types, a date field for the return date and a required signature.

Questions people ask

Is the result a real fillable PDF?

Yes. FormFlow writes standard AcroForm fields — the same kind of fields used by government and bank forms — so the people you send it to can fill it in Adobe Acrobat Reader, Apple Preview, Chrome, Edge or any other PDF viewer without FormFlow.

How do radio buttons work?

Radio buttons that share a group name act together: choosing one clears the others. Add the first radio button, keep it selected, and add more — new buttons join the selected group automatically. Give each one a value such as "Yes" and "No".

What does a date field do?

It is a text field with a date format attached. Adobe Acrobat and Reader check what people type and display it in the format you chose, such as mm/dd/yyyy. Simpler viewers treat it as a normal text field.

Can people sign in the signature field?

A signature field marks where a signature belongs. In Adobe Acrobat Reader, clicking it starts the signing flow. In FormFlow's Fill tool, the field shows a "Sign here" button that lets the recipient draw or type their signature.

Can I add fields to a PDF that already has some?

Yes. Existing fields are kept untouched, and FormFlow makes sure the new field names do not clash with the existing ones.

Other FormFlow tools

Fill PDF formType into fillable fields or add text anywhere on a flat PDF.Sign PDFDraw, type or upload a signature. Add initials and dates.Signing packetMark where others sign, add a cover sheet, send it yourself.Scan to PDFPhotograph paper pages, crop and clean them, save one PDF.Extract form dataPull answers from many filled forms into CSV or JSON.Flatten or clear a formLock filled answers in place, strip fields, or reset a form.