> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.scriptation.com/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# What is a Flattened PDF?

A **flattened PDF** is a file where the text, images, and any layered content have been merged into a single static image. The text is still *visible*, but it's no longer recognizable as text — so no PDF app, Scriptation included, can read it.

Flattening usually happens when:

* A document is **scanned** rather than exported;
* Some **watermarking** tools flatten the PDF as part of stamping the watermark in;
* A PDF is exported with "flatten" turned on (sometimes the default in older or unusual export tools).

### Why It Matters in Scriptation

Scriptation features that depend on text recognition will not work on a flattened PDF, including:

* [Highlight, Underline, Squiggle, and Strikethrough](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-use-the-text-marking-tools-highlight-underline-squiggle-and-strikethrough-5i7wnp/);
* [Auto-Highlighting](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/what-is-auto-highlighting-17llf2q/) (character names, dialogue, scene headings);
* [Note Transfer](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-transfer-my-notes-1khpcd8/) between revisions;
* [Search](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-do-i-search-for-a-word-or-phrase-rnu3bn/).

This is a limitation of the file itself — not Scriptation. The same flattened file will behave the same way in Adobe Acrobat, Preview, or any other PDF app.

### How to Check If Your PDF Is Flattened

The fastest test is to try to highlight a line of text:

1. Open the script in Scriptation;
2. Tap the **Highlight** tool in the Annotation Toolbar;

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/60818aeea8717000/arrow-to-highlight-icon_1qzfhyw.png)

3. Try to drag across a line of text.

* If Highlight grabs the text cleanly: your PDF is *not* flattened — you're good to go.
* If Highlight can't find any text (or only catches a rectangular block): your PDF is flattened.

|| 📝 NOTE: A flattened PDF will also typically have a strange look when you zoom in very close — the text edges get pixelated like an image, instead of staying crisp like vector text.

### What to Do About a Flattened PDF

Once a PDF is flattened, there's no way to "un-flatten" it — the original text data is gone. The fix has to come from whoever created the file:

* If the script came from a **production office**, ask them to re-export the PDF with flattening turned off. Sharing this article with them often helps;
* If you're the one **creating** the PDF (Final Draft, Adobe, etc.), check your export settings — most tools default to non-flattened, but watermark steps sometimes flip it;
* If the file is a **scan**, you'll need a non-scanned version from the source.

For more on how watermarks and flattening interact, see [How does Scriptation handle watermarks?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-does-scriptation-handle-watermarks-1vpgkm5/).

|| 📝 NOTE: Scriptation imports a PDF as-is and doesn't flatten files itself. If text stops being recognized after import, the PDF was already flattened (or watermarked in a way that flattens it) before it reached Scriptation — even if another PDF viewer still shows the text as selectable. Try the Highlight test above to confirm, and if you still suspect a bug, send the PDF, your import method, and your device/OS/Scriptation version through our [Troubleshooting Portal](https://scriptation.com/troubleshooting/) so we can test it directly.

# What's Next

[How does Scriptation handle watermarks?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-does-scriptation-handle-watermarks-1vpgkm5/)
[Why aren't the Annotation tools recognizing text in my script?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/why-arent-the-annotation-tools-recognizing-text-in-my-script-1nf9vfl/)
[Auto-Highlighting or Character Names not working correctly](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/auto-highlighting-or-character-names-not-working-correctly-sx94zb/)
[How does Scriptation work with Final Draft?](https://help.scriptation.com/en/article/how-does-scriptation-work-with-final-draft-na8vyd/)