Add checkboxes to a PDF
The printed squares become boxes someone can actually tick.
Tick boxes are the part of a flat form that annoys people most. The squares are printed on the page, so the only way to tick one is to print the whole form, mark it with a pen and scan it back. This finds those squares, whether they were drawn as small rectangles or typed as a box character, and makes each one a real checkbox that clicks on and off in any PDF reader.
How to add checkboxes to a PDF
- 1
Drop in the form
Every square that looks like a tick box is outlined, along with the text blanks found on the same page.
- 2
Confirm the boxes
Untick anything that was a bullet or a table cell rather than a tick box, and rename a box if its label was read from the wrong side.
- 3
Save and try it
Download the PDF and click a box. It ticks and unticks like any form field, in any reader.
Why tick boxes are worth the trouble
A form that can be ticked on screen comes back typed and legible. A form that has to be printed comes back as a photograph taken at an angle, if it comes back at all.
Locking the answers afterwards
Once a form is filled in, flattening turns the ticks and typing into part of the page so nobody can edit them.
Frequently asked questions
Does it find boxes typed as characters?+
Yes. Both are handled: a small square drawn on the page, and a box character typed in the text, which is what a form made in a word processor usually contains.
Can a group of boxes behave like radio buttons?+
Each box is its own checkbox, so more than one can be ticked. That suits most forms. For a group where only one answer is allowed, add radio buttons in the form builder in Edit PDF.
Will the tick print?+
Yes. A ticked box prints as a ticked box. To lock the answers so they cannot be changed, flatten the PDF afterwards.
Is anything sent to a server?+
No. Detection and saving both run in your browser.