Scanned · Flat · Legacy PDFs — all supported

Convert any PDF to a fillable form

Upload a scanned form, a Word export, or a flat PDF — JustFill detects or lets you draw fillable fields in seconds. No Adobe subscription, no install, no watermarks.

Drop your PDF here to get started

or browse files — PDF only

Free to use. No credit card. No software to install.

How to convert a PDF to a fillable form

Six steps from static PDF to fillable document. Steps 1–3 are free. AI auto-detection in step 2 is on paid plans — manual drawing always stays free.

01

Upload the PDF you want to convert

Drag any PDF into the browser — a scanned paper form, a document exported from Word or Excel, a flat PDF downloaded from a website, or even a photograph of a printed form saved as PDF. Nothing is uploaded to any server at this stage; the file is rendered in your browser for preview.

02

Let AI detect the fillable areas

On a paid plan, click "Detect Layout" and the engine scans the document for input lines, boxes, checkboxes, and table cells. It works on flat PDFs without AcroForm fields, on scans, and on complex multi-column forms where Adobe Prepare Form gives up. Each detected area becomes a fillable field.

03

Or draw the fields manually for free

Prefer to draw fields yourself? The free tier lets you click and drag rectangles over every area that needs to be filled. Name, address, date, signature line — just draw a box where each one goes. No AI credits used, no limits on the number of fields.

04

Review and adjust every field

Every field is draggable and resizable. Reposition, shrink, or delete any field AI created. Add missed fields manually. Rename fields so paste-fill knows where each value belongs. What you see is exactly how the final fillable PDF will look.

05

Fill in data — type, paste, or dictate

Type values into each field, or paste a block of data and let AI map values to the right fields by name. Voice dictation in five languages is built in — click the mic, speak, and the transcription lands in the active field.

06

Download the converted fillable PDF

Click "Download Filled PDF" and get a standard PDF with your data embedded. The original layout and formatting are preserved. No watermarks, no "made with" footer. The result opens in any PDF viewer, including Adobe Reader.

Ways to convert a PDF to fillable — compared

There are several ways to convert a PDF into a fillable form. Here's how the common options stack up.

MethodDifficultyCostWorks with scansFlat PDF supportAuto field detectionReusable templatesNo install
JustFillEasyFree / from $9.99
Adobe Acrobat Pro (Prepare Form)Medium$19.99/mo (annual)
Word developer form controlsHardFree (with MS Office)
LibreOffice DrawHardFree
Manual (print, fill, scan)TediousFree (time cost)

Common conversion scenarios

Whatever the source, JustFill converts it to a fillable form without recreating the document from scratch.

Convert a scanned paper form to fillable

Scanned or photographed forms are just images saved as PDF — they have no interactive fields. JustFill treats them as images and lets you draw fields on top or have AI detect the input areas automatically. No OCR setup required.

Convert a Word export to a fillable PDF

You saved a Word document as PDF but now you need recipients to fill it in. Upload the PDF to JustFill and convert it into a fillable form without going back to Word's developer tools — faster and works on any device.

Convert a flat government or tax PDF

Downloaded a PDF from a government website that turned out not to be interactive? Convert it once, save as a template, and reuse the layout every time you need to fill the same form.

Convert a legacy PDF without AcroForm fields

Many older PDFs were never designed with interactive form fields. Rather than recreating the document in Word, add fields visually with JustFill and the original formatting is preserved exactly.

Convert a multi-page form to fillable

Long forms with tables, checkboxes, and signature areas across multiple pages are tedious to set up manually. AI field detection runs across the entire document and creates fields on every page.

Convert a password-protected flat PDF

If you have the open password for a protected PDF but it has no fillable fields, JustFill lets you add fields on top of the rendered image. The original file stays intact; the filled version is a new PDF.

AI field detection — the fast path

Click one button and the engine reads your PDF like a human would — spotting input lines, checkboxes, signature areas, and table cells across every page. On a long form this turns 20 minutes of manual work into under a minute.

Every detected field is editable. If the AI misses a field or places one slightly off, drag, resize, or redraw it before filling.

Manual drawing — the free path

For short forms or when you want precise control, draw each field by clicking and dragging a rectangle. This is the permanent free workflow — no AI credits used, unlimited fields, no watermarks on the download.

Once fields are in place, save the layout as a template. Future PDFs with the same structure pick up the layout automatically.

Free vs. Paid: what do you need?

Free Plan

$0 / forever

  • Convert any PDF — scanned, flat, or exported
  • Draw unlimited fillable fields manually
  • Type or paste values into fields
  • Download converted PDF — no watermarks
  • Save layouts as reusable templates

Great for occasional conversions and short forms.

Paid Plans

from $9.99 / month

  • Everything in Free, plus:
  • AI auto-detection of every field
  • AI data mapping from pasted text
  • Voice dictation in 5 languages
  • Higher page and file-size limits

Best for high-volume conversion or long, complex forms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Upload the PDF to JustFill, then either draw fillable fields manually with the free Draw tool or click "Detect Layout" on a paid plan to let AI identify every input area — text lines, checkboxes, signature boxes, table cells. Adjust any field, type or paste your data, and download the completed PDF.
JustFill's free tier lets you draw unlimited fillable fields on any PDF and download the filled result without watermarks. You do not need to pay to convert a basic PDF — paid plans add AI auto-detection for faster setup on long or complex forms.
Yes. Scanned documents are just images inside a PDF wrapper. JustFill renders the image and lets you place fillable fields on top of it. This is the standard workflow for converting paper forms, photographed documents, or PDFs exported as "flattened" images to fillable format.
Adobe Acrobat Pro includes a Prepare Form tool that auto-detects fields on some PDFs, but it struggles with scanned images and complex layouts, and requires a $19.99/month subscription. JustFill works on scans and flat PDFs reliably, has a permanent free tier for manual drawing, and paid plans start at $9.99/month including AI detection.
Yes. JustFill is a browser-based converter that does not require Adobe Acrobat or any installed software. It runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices through any modern browser.
A flat PDF is a static document — no clickable fields, no form behavior. A fillable PDF (also called an AcroForm PDF) has interactive fields users can click and type into. Converting a flat PDF to fillable means adding those interactive fields either programmatically or by overlaying them as JustFill does.
AI detection works reliably on scanned and flat PDFs with visible input lines, boxes, and checkboxes. It handles multi-page documents, complex tables, and dotted-line fill areas. Very artistic or unusual layouts may still require manual adjustment — that's why every detected field is editable before you fill.
Yes. The output is a standard PDF with your data rendered as text. It opens and displays correctly in Adobe Reader, Preview on Mac, web browsers, and every other standard PDF viewer.
Yes. After converting and positioning fields on a PDF, click "Save as Template." Next time you upload the same form type, JustFill recognizes it and pre-positions every field — you only fill in the new data.
No. The original PDF is never altered. Conversion overlays new fields on top of the rendered image and generates a new filled PDF when you download. You can convert the same source file as many times as you need.
Free accounts can convert documents up to a modest size. Paid plans raise the limits significantly and include AI detection credits. Most real-world forms — 1 to 20 pages — work on any plan.
Yes. JustFill runs in mobile Safari and Chrome on iPhone and Android. The touch interface lets you draw fields with your finger, type values, and download the filled PDF — no app install required.

Convert your first PDF — free.

Upload any PDF and convert it into a fillable form in minutes. No Adobe subscription, no software install, no watermarks on the download.

Free account. No credit card required. GDPR compliant.