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Choose Between Editable and Flattened PDF Export

When exporting as PDF, choose Editable to preserve document outlines and original PDF hyperlinks. Choose Flattened for a smaller file that works with most PDF viewers and can include searchable handwriting.

Some PDF export choices cannot preserve outlines and original hyperlinks. Searchable handwriting uses “Enable Handwriting Recognition”.

A flattened export does not preserve document outlines or hyperlinks from the original PDF.

Choose Editable PDF

  • Handwriting is not searchable.
  • Images, text boxes, handwriting, and highlighting can be selected, moved, or resized in another PDF viewer.
  • Document outlines are preserved.
  • Hyperlinks in the original PDF text are preserved.

Choose Flattened PDF

  • Handwriting can be searched, selected, and copied when Enable Handwriting Recognition is enabled.
  • Copying recognized handwriting copies the recognized characters.
  • Document outlines are not preserved.
  • Original PDF hyperlinks are not preserved.
  • The format is recommended for broad PDF-viewer compatibility.

Enable searchable handwriting

  1. Open the export dialog.
  2. Select Flattened.
  3. Enable Enable Handwriting Recognition.
  4. Complete the PDF export.