PDF to PDF/A

PDF/A is a version of PDF made for keeping documents for many years. Everything needed to show the file, such as fonts and colours, is stored inside it, and features that can change over time, like scripts or links to outside files, are not allowed. Courts, government portals and archives often ask for it. After the file is converted it is run through veraPDF, the open-source checker built for PDF/A. If it passes, you get the file and the page says so. If the checker finds a rule that is still broken, no file is given and the page names the rules. If the checker cannot finish in time, the page says the file was converted but not checked. Some archives run their own checker as well, so use that one if the file must be certified.

Fonts are put inside it, colours are set to a standard profile, and anything PDF/A does not allow is removed: notes that do not print, scripts and attached files. A digital signature stops being valid, so keep your original. The file can grow larger. A password-protected file cannot be converted; remove the password with Unlock PDF first. The result page lists what was taken out.

Files are processed to produce your result and removed shortly after — see our Privacy Policy for the current retention times.