How do I create a fillable PDF?

You can create a fillable PDF in a few different ways, depending on what tools you have.

Option 1: Use Adobe Acrobat Pro

This is the most common way.

1. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro
2. Go to Tools → Prepare Form
3. Acrobat will try to detect form fields automatically
4. Review the detected fields and add or adjust as needed:
   • Text fields
   • Checkboxes
   • Radio buttons
   • Dropdowns
   • Signature fields
5. Save the file as a PDF

Option 2: Use free or cheaper alternatives

Some other tools can do this too:

• LibreOffice: Create a form in a document, then export to PDF
• PDF-XChange Editor: Has form field tools
• Foxit PDF Editor
• Smallpdf / online editors: Convenient, but be careful with sensitive data

Option 3: Create the form in Word or Google Docs first

You can:

1. Design the layout in Word, Google Docs, or LibreOffice Writer
2. Add blank lines, boxes, or labels
3. Export to PDF
4. Open the PDF in a form editor and add interactive fields

What makes a PDF “fillable”?

A fillable PDF usually contains interactive form elements such as:

• Text entry boxes
• Checkboxes
• Radio buttons
• Dropdown menus
• Date fields
• Signature boxes

If you want to make one from scratch

A typical workflow is:

1. Build the page layout
2. Add form fields on top of it
3. Set field properties like:
   • Required/optional
   • Default values
   • Tab order
   • Formatting
4. Test the form in a PDF viewer

Tips

• Use a PDF editor that supports AcroForm fields
• Test the form in Adobe Reader and another viewer if possible
• Avoid scanning a paper form if you want editable fields; use a digital source file instead

If you want, I can give you:

• a free method
• a step-by-step Adobe Acrobat guide
• or instructions for Windows, Mac, or online tools