Your PDF Won't Let You Type. Here's the Fix.
You downloaded a form. You click on a field. Nothing happens. The cursor won't appear, or it appears but you can't type. This is one of the most common PDF frustrations, and it has a simple explanation: the PDF isn't actually fillable.
Here's how to fill it anyway.
Why Your PDF Isn't Fillable
PDFs come in two types: interactive (with form fields) and flat (just pixels on a page).
Interactive PDFs have actual form fields—text boxes, checkboxes, dropdown menus—that accept input. When you click on them, a cursor appears and you can type.
Flat PDFs look like forms but are actually just images of forms. They might be:
- Scans of paper documents
- Exports from Word or design software without form fields added
- Flattened PDFs where fields were converted to static images
- Intentionally non-fillable to prevent modification
The fix depends on which type you're dealing with.
Quick Test: Is Your PDF Actually Fillable?
- Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Hover over what looks like a form field
- If the field highlights in blue, it's fillable
- If nothing highlights, it's flat
You can also check in Acrobat by going to View → Tools → Prepare Form. If it detects existing fields, they're fillable. If it says "No fields detected," the PDF is flat.
Method 1: Use Fill & Sign Mode
Every major PDF tool has a "Fill & Sign" feature that lets you add text anywhere on a document—fillable or not.
Adobe Acrobat Reader (Free):
- Open the PDF
- Click Fill & Sign in the right panel
- Click anywhere on the document
- A text cursor appears—start typing
- Drag to reposition, resize as needed
This works on any PDF because you're adding text as an annotation layer, not filling actual form fields. The visual result is the same.
Preview on Mac:
- Open the PDF
- Click the Markup toolbar icon
- Click the Text tool (T)
- Click where you want to type
- Enter your text
Online tools (Smallpdf, iLovePDF, PDFgear): Upload the PDF, select the text tool, click where you need text, and type. Then download the completed PDF.
Limitations of Fill & Sign
- Text sits on top of the PDF, not in actual fields
- You manually position each piece of text
- There's no tab-to-next-field functionality
- Data validation (like date formats) doesn't exist
For one form, this works fine. For many forms, it's tedious.
Method 2: Convert to a Fillable PDF
You can add real form fields to a flat PDF, making it properly interactive.
Adobe Acrobat Pro (Paid):
- Open the PDF
- Go to Tools → Prepare Form
- Acrobat automatically detects and creates form fields
- Adjust field positions and properties as needed
- Save the new fillable PDF
Online converters: Some online tools offer "convert to fillable" features, but results vary significantly. They often miss fields or position them incorrectly.
Limitations:
- Requires paid software for reliable results
- Automatic detection isn't perfect—you'll need to adjust fields
- Only makes sense if you'll use the form multiple times
Method 3: The Print-and-Scan Workaround
The old-school method still works:
- Print the PDF
- Fill it out by hand
- Scan it back to PDF
This creates a valid filled PDF that anyone can view. But it's slow, the handwriting may be hard to read, and you lose the ability to edit later.
When this makes sense:
- You need a physical signature (not electronic)
- The form requires handwritten responses
- You don't have access to PDF tools
When to avoid it:
- You have multiple forms to fill
- You need to edit the form later
- Professional appearance matters
Method 4: AI-Powered PDF Filling
Modern AI tools take a fundamentally different approach. Instead of making you click and position text manually, they:
- Analyze the PDF visually — The AI reads the document like a human would
- Identify where fields should be — Even on scans or flat PDFs
- Map your data to the right locations — Without manual positioning
- Fill the PDF accurately — With properly sized, positioned text
AutoFillPDF does exactly this. Upload any PDF—scanned, flat, or fillable—provide your information, and get back a completed form. The AI handles the field detection and text placement that would otherwise require manual work.
This is particularly useful when:
- You have scanned forms with no digital fields
- You're filling the same form type repeatedly with different data
- The form has dozens of fields and manual clicking would take forever
- You need to process forms in bulk
Troubleshooting Specific Issues
"I can see the fields but can't type in them"
The PDF has fields, but they may be:
- Locked — The creator disabled editing
- Read-only — Fields are set to display-only
- Flattened — Fields were converted to images after filling
Try opening in a different viewer. If that doesn't work, use Fill & Sign to add text on top of the locked fields.
"Fields work in one viewer but not another"
Browser PDF viewers (Chrome, Firefox) don't support all field types. Download the PDF and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader for full compatibility.
"I filled it out but the data disappeared after saving"
Some viewers show a temporary edit layer that doesn't save. Make sure you:
- Use "Save As" not just "Save"
- Confirm by closing and reopening the file
- Try a dedicated PDF tool instead of a browser viewer
"The PDF is password protected"
You can't fill a PDF with password restrictions on form filling. Contact the form creator for an unrestricted version, or use a PDF tool that can work with protected files.
Comparison: Fill Methods for Non-Fillable PDFs
| Method | Speed | Accuracy | Batch Capability | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fill & Sign (manual) | Slow | User-dependent | No | Free |
| Convert to fillable | Medium | Good | Somewhat | Paid |
| Print and scan | Very slow | Variable | No | Free |
| AI-powered (AutoFillPDF) | Fast | High | Yes | Subscription |
Fill Any PDF—No Matter the Format
AutoFillPDF was built specifically for the "PDF isn't fillable" problem. Our AI doesn't care whether your document has form fields, is a scan, or is a flattened export. It analyzes the visual layout, identifies where data belongs, and fills it accurately.
No field detection headaches. The AI finds fields automatically.
No manual text positioning. Data goes where it should.
No format limitations. Scans, images, and flat PDFs all work.
Try it free: AutoFillPDF
Related Guides
FAQs
Why can't I fill out a PDF form? Most likely, the PDF doesn't have interactive form fields. It may be a scan, a flattened PDF, or simply never had fields added. Use Fill & Sign mode or an AI tool to add text anyway.
How do I make a PDF fillable so I can type in it? Use Adobe Acrobat Pro's Prepare Form tool to detect or add form fields. Alternatively, use Fill & Sign to add text without converting the entire form.
Can I fill out a scanned PDF form? Yes. Use Fill & Sign to place text over the scanned image, or use an AI-powered tool like AutoFillPDF that automatically detects field locations on scans.
Is there a free way to fill non-fillable PDFs? Yes. Adobe Acrobat Reader's Fill & Sign feature, Preview on Mac, and online tools like PDFgear are all free. For bulk or complex forms, AI-powered tools offer faster results.
What if the form creator locked the PDF? Contact them for an unlocked version. If that's not possible, use Fill & Sign to add text as annotations (which works on most protected PDFs) or use AutoFillPDF.