Create Forms
The form builder starts from a blank page rather than an existing document, because the point is to design a form rather than annotate one. You place fields by dragging them onto the canvas and set their names and properties in a side panel.
Eight field kinds are available. Text, multi-line text, checkbox, dropdown and radio become real, named, fillable AcroForm fields that any PDF reader can complete. Labels and white-out boxes are static drawing. The signature field is a dashed placeholder — a visual guide meant to be completed later with Fill & Sign.
How it works
- 1Lay out the page. Drag fields onto the blank canvas and position them; labels and rules give the form its structure.
- 2Name and configure. Each interactive field needs a name — that is what appears when the data is read back. Radio buttons sharing a name become one mutually exclusive group.
- 3Export the form. A PDF with a real form definition is produced, ready to be filled in any reader.
When you need it
- Building an internal request or approval form
- Producing a registration sheet that people can complete on screen
- Creating a structured checklist with real checkboxes
- Designing a template that is filled repeatedly with different data
Frequently asked questions
- Why is the signature field only a placeholder?
- The underlying library has no API for creating true signature fields. Rather than pretend otherwise, the tool draws a clearly marked box you can complete with Fill & Sign or the full editor.
- How do radio groups work?
- Every radio field is one button. Buttons that share a name are grouped into a single widget, so their mutual exclusivity is a genuine property of the PDF, not just a convention in the interface.
- Can I start from an existing document instead?
- Use the PDF Editor, which works on a loaded document and preserves the fields it already has.
- Are my documents uploaded anywhere?
- No. Every tool in PDF41 runs inside your browser tab using WebAssembly and JavaScript. Your file is read from disk into memory, processed locally, and handed back as a download. It is never transmitted to a server, so there is nothing to intercept, retain, or delete afterwards.
- Does this work without an internet connection?
- Yes, once the page has loaded. The PDF engine, fonts and character maps are all served from this site rather than a third-party CDN, so an unstable connection or a locked-down corporate network does not stop the tool from working.
Similar tools to use
Complete your document workflow with these frequently paired tools.
Fill & Sign
Add signatures, complete contracts and fill form fields easily.
PDF Editor
Edit text, fill forms, add links, images and freehand signatures in real-time.
Flatten PDF
Make fillable forms read-only by flattening interactive layers.