PDF Display Issues Due to Watermark Layers – and How to Fix It

Problem Summary

In some cases, uploaded PDF documents appear distorted or unreadable, especially when they contain watermarks. This happens because many PDFs are created using layered elements – the text, images, and watermark are placed on separate visual layers.

Some browsers or embedded PDF viewers (especially in web apps) don't fully support layered rendering, causing the watermark to overpower the text or distort the layout.

Solution: Flatten the PDF

Flattening a PDF means merging all its visual elements into a single, unified layer. This eliminates rendering issues across different platforms and viewers.

🪟 Steps for Windows Users

Option 1: Using PDF-XChange Editor (Free Version)

1. Open the PDF in PDF-XChange Editor.
2. Click on File → Export → Export to Image.
3. Choose a resolution (e.g. 300 DPI), export all pages.
4. Then go to File → New → PDF from Images, select all exported images.
5. Save the new PDF – it’s now flattened.

Option 2: Using Microsoft Print to PDF

1. Open the PDF using Microsoft Edge or Adobe Acrobat Reader.
2. Press Ctrl+P to open the print dialog.
3. Choose “Microsoft Print to PDF” as the printer.
4. Click Print and save the output.
5. The resulting file will be flattened.

🐧 Steps for Ubuntu/Linux Users

Using LibreOffice Draw (Preinstalled on most distros)

1. Right-click the PDF → Open With → LibreOffice Draw.
2. The file opens as an editable document – layers included.
3. Simply go to File → Export As → Export as PDF.
4. Save the new file – it’s now flattened and will display correctly.

📎 Recommendation

If you encounter PDF rendering issues again:

• Always check if the document includes watermarks, images, or logos in the background.
• Flatten the PDF using the steps above before uploading.

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