Fix a PDF form that won't fill, print, or come back

9 guides on flat PDFs, scanned forms, fields that stop working, and getting a completed document back. Each one leads with the answer.

• Fillable PDF vs online form: which should you use?

  A fillable PDF and an online form solve different problems. Here is how to tell which one your situation actually needs.

• How to collect form responses as completed PDFs

  Collect answers through a web form and keep every response as a finished PDF you can file, print or forward.

• How to make a PDF fillable without Adobe Acrobat

  Turn any PDF into a form people can complete in a browser, without buying Acrobat or installing anything.

• How to send a PDF for someone to fill out and return

  Stop emailing PDFs and hoping they come back. Send a link instead, and get the completed document automatically.

• How to turn a paper or scanned form into an online form

  Take the paper form you already use, and turn it into something people can complete on a phone — without redesigning it.

• Why can’t I type in this PDF?

  Three reasons a PDF will not let you type, how to tell which one you have, and what to do about each.

• Why does my PDF form print blank?

  A form that fills in on screen and prints empty is usually one field property, one missing save, or values the viewer never actually drew.

• Why is my PDF form no longer fillable?

  Fields that worked last week and do nothing today mean the file was flattened. How to tell what removed them, and how to get a working form back.

• Why is the text in my PDF form cut off?

  PDF form fields are fixed boxes, so a long answer is clipped rather than wrapped. The four settings that decide what happens when text runs out of room.