> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.apryse.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.apryse.com/xamarin/optimization/flatten.md).

# Flatten a PDF in Xamarin

Learn how to flatten a PDF using default settings, compress & optimize PDF files with 'pdftron.PDF.Flattener'. Speed up PDF rendering on mobile devices and the Web by simplifying page content while ma

{% hint style="warning" %}
For Android, available in the full version of the library only. See [Apryse full or standard?](/xamarin/get-started/faq/full-vs-standard.md)
{% endhint %}

To flatten a PDF using default settings.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="C#" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```csharp
PDFDoc doc = new PDFDoc(filename);
Flattener fl = new Flattener();
fl.Process(doc, Flattener.FlattenMode.e_fast);
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

[Compress & optimize PDF files](/xamarin/get-started/samples.md#optimizer) Full code sample which shows how to use 'pdftron.PDF.Flattener' by simplifying page content (e.g. flattening complex graphics into images) while maintaining vector text.

## About PDF flattener (or mobile PDF optimizer)

PDF Flattener component (pdftron.PDF.Flattener) can be used to speed-up PDF rendering on mobile devices and on the Web.

PDF documents can frequently contain very complex page description (e.g. thousands of paths, different shadings, color spaces, blend modes, large images etc.) that may not be suitable for interactive viewing on mobile devices.

Flattener can be used to speed-up PDF rendering on mobile devices and on the Web by simplifying page content (e.g. flattening complex graphics into images) while maintaining vector text whenever possible.

Flattener can also be used to simplify process of writing custom converters from PDF to other formats. In this case, Flattener can be used as first step in the conversion pipeline to reduce any PDF to a very simple representation (e.g. vector text on top of a background image).

A quick way to try Flattener is by using [DocPub CLI](/cli/docpub/docpub.md) (e.g. docpub -f pdf my.pdf).


---

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