PDF to PDF/A
Convert to PDF/A for long-term archiving, verified compliant by veraPDF
Files up to 44 MB. Your file is uploaded to our conversion service for processing — see below for what that means.
Click or drop a PDF hereChoose a PDF
About PDF to PDF/A
PDF to PDF/A makes an archival copy of a PDF at the level you choose: 1b, 2b, or 3b, the Unicode levels 2u and 3u, or the accessible levels 2a and 3a for PDFs that already carry structure tags. Our pdf-tools service converts the file with Ghostscript, or only adds what is missing when it already meets the level. veraPDF then validates the result, and its text is compared with your PDF's text by two readers. You get a file only when both checks pass. PDF/A-1a is not offered.
How to convert PDF to PDF/A
- 1Click or drop the PDF to archive, up to 44 MB.
- 2Choose a level in "PDF/A conformance"; the accessible levels are switched off when your PDF has no tags.
- 3Keep the box for the closest lower level checked if you accept one, then click the "Convert to PDF/A-…" button.
- 4Read the veraPDF verdict; "Download" then keeps the validated PDF/A copy.
Formats and limits
- Input format
- Output levels
- PDF/A-1b, 2b, 3b, 2u, 3u, 2a, 3a
- Maximum file size
- 44 MB per file
- Tag check
- By your browser for files up to 20 MB, otherwise by our service
- Usage limits
- Files over 4 MB: a limit per network per hour and per day
Where your file is processed
Your PDF is sent over HTTPS to our server and on to our pdf-tools service on Railway, where Ghostscript, veraPDF, and two text readers work in a temporary folder that is removed afterward. A file larger than 4 MB goes in parts through our server first, which deletes the PDF/A as soon as this page has received it, or after 15 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Is the file checked against the PDF/A standard?
Yes. veraPDF, an open-source PDF/A validator, checks the converted file at the level you chose. If it fails, you get no file, only the list of failed rules with the number of times each occurred.
Will the text of my PDF stay exactly the same?
Yes, or you get no file. The text of the result is compared with your PDF's text, character by character, by Ghostscript and Poppler. Ghostscript can alter ligatures such as fi, accents, or Greek letters while the page still looks right; in that case you get an explanation instead of a file. Exporting PDF/A from the original document is then the reliable route.
Can I make PDF/A-2a from any PDF?
No. The "a" levels need a tagged PDF, and the page checks your file for tags before sending it. Export the document again with tags: in Word, "Document structure tags for accessibility"; in LibreOffice, "Universal accessibility (PDF/UA)". Otherwise, choose 2u or 3u.
Can I get a lower level when mine is not reached?
Yes, for the "u" and "a" levels, while the box under the menu stays checked, as it is by default. A 2a request then tries 2u, then 2b, and the result names the level you got and why the higher one failed. Uncheck it to receive only the level you asked for.
Is PDF/A-1a available?
No. In our tests no open-source tool produced a valid PDF/A-1a, so the level is not offered; PDF/A-2a covers the same accessibility needs on a newer base.
Tips and tricks
- ✓PDF/A-1b does not allow transparency, so choose 2b or a later level for a PDF with transparent images.