A fillable PDF lets people type directly into form fields on screen rather than printing, handwriting, and scanning. If you have a flat PDF — a lease agreement, onboarding form, tax document, or application — and you want to make it fillable, here are the best free methods.
Method 1: Use the Edit PDF tool (quickest for simple forms)
For flat PDFs where people just need to fill in fields, the simplest approach is to share the PDF along with Filero's free Edit PDF tool. Recipients open the tool, upload the PDF, click where they need to type, and type directly onto the page — no special software needed.
This works especially well for:
- Application forms
- Consent forms
- Order forms
- Checklists
Simply share the Filero Edit PDF link with anyone who needs to complete the form. They can add their typed content, download the completed PDF, and send it back.
Method 2: Convert to Word, add form fields, re-export
For a more structured fillable form with proper interactive fields (text boxes, checkboxes, dropdowns), the best free approach is:
- Convert your PDF to Word using Filero's PDF to Word tool.
- Open the .docx file in Microsoft Word.
- Enable the Developer tab: File → Options → Customise Ribbon → tick Developer.
- Use the Developer tab to insert form controls — text boxes, checkboxes, date pickers, and dropdowns.
- Protect the form so only form fields can be edited: Developer → Restrict Editing → Allow only filling in forms.
- Save as PDF: File → Save As → PDF. The form fields carry over into the PDF.
Method 3: Use Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (free for filling, paid for creating)
Adobe Acrobat Reader (the free version) lets anyone fill in existing interactive PDF forms. However, to create interactive form fields from scratch, you need Acrobat Pro, which costs around $20 per month. For most people, the Word method above achieves the same result for free.
Method 4: Google Forms (for forms you send and collect responses)
If your goal is to collect responses from many people and analyse them, Google Forms is a better solution than a fillable PDF. Create your form at forms.google.com, share the link, and responses are collected automatically in a Google Sheet. This is ideal for surveys, registrations, and feedback forms.
Fillable PDFs are better when you need the output to look like the original document — a signed lease, a completed tax form, a filled-in contract — rather than raw form data.
Tips for a clean fillable PDF
- Label every field clearly. Use placeholder text so people know what to enter in each field.
- Set tab order. In Word, the tab key should move logically through the form fields in reading order.
- Test before sending. Fill in the form yourself before distributing it to make sure every field works correctly.
- Keep it simple. Overly complex forms with many field types are harder to complete and more error-prone.
Frequently asked questions
Can people sign a fillable PDF?
Yes. You can add a signature field to a fillable PDF using Word's form controls, or you can share the completed PDF with Filero's Sign PDF tool so the recipient can draw, type, or upload a signature.
What is the difference between a fillable PDF and a flat PDF?
A flat PDF is essentially a printed document saved as a file — the content is fixed and cannot be interacted with. A fillable PDF contains interactive form fields (text boxes, checkboxes, etc.) that the recipient can click and type into without printing.
Can I make a scanned PDF fillable?
A scanned PDF is a photo of a document — it has no text layer. To make it fillable, first use Filero's Edit PDF tool to type over the scan, or run it through PDF to Word (which uses OCR to extract the text) and then add form fields in Word.
Ready to try it?
Use Filero's free Edit PDF tool. No account needed, works on any device.
Open Edit PDF