How to Make a Fillable PDF for Free

How to Make a Fillable PDF Online on Windows and Mac

PDFgear online fillable PDF maker allows you to make fillable PDFs with a variety of fillable form fields, such as textbox, password, checkbox, radio button, dropdown menu, list box, etc.

PDFgear is free to use, there’s no signup, and there’s no watermark.

Step 1. Go to PDFgear online fillable PDF maker and click Select PDF File to open the PDF you need.

Step 2. On the upper menu bar, you’ll find a variety of fillable form fields, choose a fitting field and click on the PDF to insert it.

💡Don’t know the meaning of each fillable form field? See fillable form field explanations

Step 3. Right-click on the inserted form field and click Properties, you can customize the tooltip, default value, visibility, read-only, etc. Then click OK to confirm the Property changes.

💡Don’t know the meaning of each form field property? See general property explanations

Step 4. In the Property settings window for Textbox, password, dropdown, list box, checkbox, and radio button, you’ll find typography options like alignment, fill color, font family, font size, etc.

Step 5. In the Property settings for dropdown and list box, you’ll find Options to define item name, item value, list order, etc.

Step 6. Repeat the steps until you’ve inserted and customized all necessary fillable form fields.

Step 7. Lastly, click the upper-right Download file button to download and save the fillable PDF.

How to Make a Fillable PDF Online on iPhone and Android

PDFgear online fillable PDF creator also works on mobile devices like iPhones, iPads, Android phones, and Android tablets.

The process is generally the same, with slight differences in the UI, but go with the same principle.

*Please note that PDFgear online fillable PDF maker doesn’t allow you to customize fillable field properties on mobile phones.

Step 1. Go to PDFgear online fillable PDF maker, tap on the Select PDF File, and select the PDF you need.

Step 2. Once the PDF is loaded, tap the upper-right triangle and increase the Zoom In value for less fat fingering.

Step 3. On the upper menu bar, you’ll find a variety of fillable form fields like textbox, password, checkbox, radio button, etc.

Step 4. Choose a fitting field, and click on the PDF to insert it. Then tap and hold the field box to reposition it.

Step 5. Repeat the steps until you’ve inserted all necessary fields.

Step 6. Tap on the upper-right triangle button and tap Download in the dropdown to get the file.

Fillable Form Fields Explanations

PDFgear supports a variety of fillable form fields that you can add to your PDF documents.

These fields allow users to interact with the form by entering data, making selections, or providing signatures. They include:

Text Box

A field where users can input text. This is the most common type of fillable field used for names, addresses, and other textual information.

Learn more: How to add fillable textbox in PDF.

Checkbox

A field that allows users to select one or more options from a set. This is useful for yes/no questions or multiple-choice selections.

Learn more: How to add clickable checkboxes in PDF.

Digital Signature Field

A designated area for users to insert their electronic signature, which can be drawn, typed, or uploaded as an image.

Learn more: How to add signable signature fields to PDF

Dropdown Menu

A field that presents a list of options in a dropdown format, allowing users to select one option from the list.

Learn more: How to insert fillable dropdowns in PDF

Password Field

Similar to a text box but designed for sensitive information, this field obscures the input to protect privacy.

List Box

Similar to a dropdown but displays multiple options at once, allowing users to select one or more items.

Radio Button

A field that allows users to select one option from a predefined set. Only one radio button in a group can be selected at a time.

General Property Explainations

When you right-click on an inserted or existing fillable form field in PDF, you’ll find a variety of options in the General tab, which are not as intuitive as the Appearance options.

This section shows what these options control.

• Name: A name of the field used to differentiate one another, predefined by the tools used to insert it, you can change it at will.
• Tooltip: This is a small text box that appears when the cursor hovers over the fillable text box.
• Value: If there’s a default text that should appear in the field when the form is first opened, it would be set as the value.
• Form Field Visibility: This property controls whether the text box is visible, hidden, visible but doesn’t print, or hidden but printable.
• Read Only: When this property is set, the user can see the value in the text box but cannot change it.
• Required: If this property is enabled, the form cannot be submitted without filling in this text box.
• Show Printing: This setting determines whether the text box will be printed. If it is unchecked, the text box will be visible on the screen but will not appear on the printed document.
• Multiline: When this property is enabled, the text box can accommodate more than one line of text.

FAQs

What is PDFgear?

PDFgear is a free online tool that allows users to create fillable PDFs, and edit and fill out PDF documents. It provides functionalities for inserting fillable fields into existing PDFs, making it possible to create fillable PDFs without the paid Adobe Acrobat.

Can I add text to the fillable PDF?

Yes, aside from the fillable form fields, you can also add additional text to the PDF form. Go to Add or Edit annotations > Free text > insert to the PDF and type in the needed text.

How to make a fillable PDF with PDFgear?

Go to PDFgear online fillable PDF creator, click Select PDF file to open the PDF, insert text boxes, checkboxes, dropdown menus, etc., and download the fillable PDF once finished.

Click on the desired location in the PDF to place the field and adjust its size as needed.

Do I need to create an account to use PDFgear?

No, you do not need to create an account or sign up to use PDFgear. The tool is free and does not impose watermarks on your documents.

Can I insert fillable PDF form fields in batches?

No, PDFgear doesn’t allow you to insert all necessary fillable form fields in one go. However, you can right-click on the inserted form field, click Copy, and then use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + V (Windows) or Command + V (Mac) for fast duplication.

Can I customize the properties of the fillable fields?

Yes, after inserting a fillable field into your PDF, you can double-click on it to customize its properties. This includes setting a field name, default value, formatting options, required field, etc.

Is there a limit on the number of fields I can add?

There is no specified limit on the number of fillable fields you can add using PDFgear. However, keep in mind that adding too many fields may clutter your form and make it difficult for users to navigate.

Can I save the completed PDF form?

Yes, you can download and save the created fillable form or filled-out PDF form on your device with a simple click.