---
title: "Flatten PDF for print"
method: POST
path: "/tools/flatten_pdf"
---

# Flatten PDF for print

`POST /tools/flatten_pdf`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://api.bannerbear.com/v5`
- URL: `https://api.bannerbear.com/v5/tools/flatten_pdf`
- Auth: HTTP bearer

Flatten transparency and form fields, and embed fonts for print. Async — returns 202 with a pending job; poll GET /tool_jobs/{uid} until `status` is `completed` or `failed`.

## Request body

- object
  - `pdf_url` string, uri, required: PDF URL
  - `color` 'original' | 'cmyk': Convert to CMYK if your printer asks for it
  - `text` 'embed' | 'outline': Outlines remove any font dependency but the text can no longer be selected
  - `metadata` string: Arbitrary metadata string stored with the tool run

## Response `202`

Tool run accepted

- object
  - `uid` string
  - `tool` 'flatten_pdf'
  - `status` 'pending' | 'running' | 'completed' | 'failed': pending → running → completed / failed
  - `progress` integer: 0-100 job progress, 100 once completed
  - `inputs` object: Inputs the job was created with
  - `outputs` object
    - `pdf_url` string, uri
  - `metadata` string, nullable: Arbitrary metadata string round-tripped from the create request
  - `self` string, uri
  - `created_at` string, date-time
  - `completed_at` string, date-time, nullable
  - `error_message` string, nullable: Human-readable failure reason (only present on failed jobs)

## Other responses

- `402`: API quota exhausted — upgrade required
- `404`: Unknown tool
- `422`: Input validation failure

## Changes

- **2026-10-07** `5b32bace85cb`: 1 info
  - endpoint added

[Operation history](https://skmtc.dev/bannerbear/apis/bannerbear-v5-api/changes/tools/flatten_pdf/post.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/bannerbear/apis/bannerbear-v5-api.md) - [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/bannerbear/apis/bannerbear-v5-api/llms.txt) - [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/bannerbear/apis/bannerbear-v5-api/revisions/357256cbd1e5?raw)