When to flatten a PDF
Flatten a form after you've filled it in and before you send it, so your answers can't be edited by accident and look the same in every PDF reader. Flattening also fixes forms whose answers don't show up when printed or previewed on a phone, and it is a good last step after signing.
Text that is part of the page stays selectable. Only interactive parts, such as form fields, checkboxes, comments and highlights, are merged into the page.