An archive, a court portal or a tender asks for "PDF/A". Your PDF may already be one, may claim to be one and not be, or may need converting. This page answers the first question in your browser without uploading anything, and offers conversion if you need it.
Be careful what a result means: PDF/A is a family of ISO 19005 standards. This tool reads what the file declares and checks selected structure rules. It is not a full validator, and a converted file is not automatically accepted by every archive or in every workflow.
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Overview
About PDF/A Checker & Converter
The check (in your browser). The tool reads the XMP metadata for the pdfaid entry (part 1, 2, 3 or 4 and the conformance level) and checks that the combination exists. It then looks for common structural problems: whether the file has an output intent with an embedded colour profile, fonts that are not embedded, JavaScript or launch actions, LZW compression (not allowed in parts 1 to 3), transparency in a part 1 file, and embedded files in a file that declares part 1 or 2. Findings are labelled error or check, with the reason in plain words.
The conversion (on the server). If you press Convert, the PDF is uploaded to this site's server and re-written with Ghostscript's PDF/A mode: colours are converted to sRGB with an sRGB output intent, fonts are embedded, and the metadata declares the part you chose (PDF/A-1b, -2b or -3b). The result is checked on the server for the declaration, page count and structural integrity, sent back, and then checked again in your browser with the same checks as above, independently of the server that produced it. The uploaded file and the result are deleted as soon as the download has been sent.
What conversion removes. Digital signatures, JavaScript, forms' scripts and attachments do not survive. A PDF that has embedded files (for example a Factur-X invoice) is refused for conversion, because the XML would be silently deleted; for such files use a tool that preserves attachments. Complex layouts can change slightly when fonts are substituted or transparency is flattened.
Two honest limits. This is not a full ISO 19005 validation (the reference validator, veraPDF, needs a Java runtime). And "PDF/A" does not by itself make a document compliant with a retention, tender or legal rule; follow the requirements of whoever asked for it, and check the result against them.
Compatibility
Supported Formats
The check accepts PDF up to 50 MB. Conversion accepts PDF up to 20 MB and 200 pages and produces PDF/A-1b, PDF/A-2b or PDF/A-3b (part 3 here means the file is written as PDF/A-3, without attachments). Encrypted PDFs are refused: remove the protection in the program that created them. PDF/A-4 files are recognised by the check but not produced.
Guide
How to Use PDF/A Checker & Converter
- Drag in the PDF. The check appears at once and nothing is uploaded.
- Read the declared level and the findings. An error is something a PDF/A validator would object to.
- If you need a PDF/A file, choose the part (2b is the default) and press Convert on the server. The file is uploaded for this step only.
- Read the re-check of the converted file, then download it and check it against your recipient's requirements.
Highlights
Features
- Check without uploading The PDF/A declaration and common structure problems are read in your browser.
- Convert only when you choose Server-side conversion with Ghostscript to PDF/A-1b, -2b or -3b, with the file deleted afterwards.
- Independent re-check The converted file is checked again in your browser, not just by the server that made it.
- Refuses to destroy attachments Files with embedded data, such as e-invoices, are not converted because the data would be lost.
Applications
Use Cases
- Finding out why a portal rejects a PDF as "not PDF/A"
- Checking which PDF/A level an exported file really declares
- Producing an archive copy of a report or contract (without signatures or attachments)
- Spotting non-embedded fonts before sending a file to print or archive
- Confirming that an invoice PDF declares PDF/A-3 before looking at its XML
Good to Know
Limitations
The check is partial: it does not apply every ISO 19005 rule (for example metadata consistency in depth, annotation appearance rules, or colour-space details). Passing it does not make a file PDF/A, and failing it does not prove a validator would fail the file.
Conversion changes the file. Signatures, attachments, JavaScript and some interactive features are removed; colours are converted to sRGB; the result may look slightly different. Keep your original. Converted files are checked by this site, not certified, and some archives or authorities run their own validation.
The checker runs entirely in your browser: nothing is uploaded when you check a file. Only if you press Convert is the PDF sent to our server, converted there and deleted as soon as the result has been sent back (any leftover temporary file is removed automatically within 60 minutes). See our Privacy Policy for full details.
Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my PDF uploaded?
Only if you press Convert. Checking happens in your browser. When you convert, the file is sent to this site's server, processed with Ghostscript and deleted as soon as the result has been sent back.
Does converting guarantee a valid PDF/A?
No. The tool checks that the output declares the part you chose, keeps its page count and is structurally intact, and you can re-check it in the browser. A full validator such as veraPDF examines hundreds of further rules, and requirements differ between archives.
Why was my file refused for conversion?
Common reasons: it is encrypted, it is larger than 20 MB or 200 pages, or it contains embedded files. A PDF with attachments, such as a Factur-X invoice, would lose them in this conversion, so it is not converted.
Which part should I choose?
Use what the recipient asks for. PDF/A-2b is the usual choice for new archives and supports transparency. PDF/A-1b is the oldest and does not allow transparency. PDF/A-3b allows attachments in general, but this converter does not keep any.
Will a PDF/A file stay compliant "forever"?
No claim like that can be made. PDF/A is designed for long-term archiving, but a file is only as good as the validation it passed, and later edits (including a digital signature or a form fill) can break conformance.
Does the checker read invoices?
It reads their PDF/A declaration and structure. For the invoice XML itself use the Factur-X / ZUGFeRD Validator or the extractor.
Keep Going
Related Tools
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