PDF to PDF/A
Convert PDF to the archival PDF/A-2b standard
Updated · Guide: Making PDFs Accessible: Tags, Structure, and Compliance
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Convert to the archival PDF/A-2b standard
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How to convert PDF to PDF/A
Upload your PDF document
Click the upload area or drag and drop your PDF file onto the converter.
Click "Convert to PDF/A"
The file is converted on our server. No software installation required.
Download your PDF/A file
Click the Download button to save your converted PDF/A document directly to your device.
What is PDF to PDF/A conversion?
Converting PDF to PDF/A rewrites an ordinary PDF as a self-contained archival file that conforms to ISO 19005, the standard for long-term preservation of electronic documents. PDF/A is PDF with the fragile parts removed.
ISO 19005 defines a subset that forbids anything whose rendering depends on the outside world or on a running interpreter: externally referenced fonts, JavaScript, embedded audio and video, and encryption. What remains is a file that carries everything it needs in order to display itself, decades after the software that produced it has gone. Ghostscript performs the conversion using its PDF/A output mode. It re-processes the document to embed every referenced font as a subset, strip scripting and multimedia, remove encryption, and inject an XMP metadata stream declaring the conformance level. This tool targets PDF/A-2b: part 2 of the standard (ISO 19005-2), which unlike the PDF 1.4-based PDF/A-1b permits JPEG2000 compression, transparency, and optional content layers, and level b, meaning visual reproducibility is guaranteed without requiring full Unicode mapping of every glyph. The mandates are what usually bring people here. Courts and law firms preserve case files in it; government agencies use it for public records and Freedom of Information Act responses; healthcare institutions archive patient records under retention rules; auditors keep workpapers in it to satisfy SEC and PCAOB requirements; and the EU e-invoicing directive points at PDF/A-3 for machine-readable attachments. If your source already embeds its fonts, the visual result is essentially identical. If it does not, the file grows by whatever the newly embedded font data weighs.
Why convert PDF to PDF/A?
- Required for legal, government, and regulatory document archiving
- Embeds all fonts to guarantee identical rendering on future systems
- Removes JavaScript, encryption, and external links that could break over time
- ISO 19005 compliance for long-term digital preservation
What is the difference between PDF and PDF/A?
The table below compares PDF vs PDF/A across key format characteristics.
| Feature | PDF/A | |
|---|---|---|
| File extension | .pdf (PDF/A) | |
| Editability | Fixed layout | Fixed layout (archival) |
| Formatting preservation | Exact everywhere | Exact everywhere |
| File size | Compact | Larger |
| Platform support | Universal | Universal |
| Best use case | Sharing, archival | Long-term archival |
| ISO archival standard | No | Yes |
Use standard PDF for everyday sharing; convert to PDF/A for long-term regulatory archival.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between PDF and PDF/A?
PDF/A is a restricted subset of PDF that prohibits features that could prevent future rendering: external font references, JavaScript, audio/video, and encryption. This guarantees the document is self-contained and viewable indefinitely.
Which PDF/A version does this tool produce?
PDF/A-2b, which is the most widely accepted version. It supports JPEG2000 compression, transparency, and layers while maintaining strict archival compliance.
Will converting to PDF/A change how my document looks?
In most cases, no. The visual appearance is preserved. The conversion embeds missing fonts and removes prohibited features like JavaScript, but the page content and layout remain unchanged.
What is the difference between PDF/A-1b, PDF/A-2b, and PDF/A-3b?
PDF/A-1b (ISO 19005-1) is the original standard based on PDF 1.4 and prohibits transparency, JPEG2000, and layers. PDF/A-2b (ISO 19005-2), which this tool produces, is based on PDF 1.7 and adds support for transparency, JPEG2000 compression, and optional content groups. PDF/A-3b (ISO 19005-3) extends PDF/A-2b by allowing embedded file attachments of any format, commonly used for e-invoicing (embedding XML data inside the PDF). For most archival needs, PDF/A-2b is the best balance of compatibility and feature support.
Will the conversion strip password protection from my PDF?
Yes. PDF/A prohibits encryption because it could prevent future access to the document. If your PDF has a password, it is removed during conversion to ensure the archived file remains accessible. Use Unlock PDF first if you need to provide the password for a restricted document.
Why is my PDF/A file larger than the original PDF?
PDF/A requires all fonts to be embedded as subsets within the file. If your original PDF referenced system fonts without embedding them, the conversion adds the necessary font data, which increases file size. Documents that already embed all fonts will see little or no size increase. In exchange, embedded fonts guarantee the document renders correctly on any system, indefinitely.