Records teams
Prepare an archival copy
Choose the PDF/A level required by the receiving archive.
A useful PDF task, made simple
PDF to PDF/A.
Create an archival PDF/A copy and validate it before downloading.
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Create an archival PDF/A copy and validate it before downloading.
100%
Your validated PDF/A is ready.
Download your result or go back to make changes.
Review the document’s appearance before archiving.
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Your file is securely processed on our servers.
PDF
How to use PDF to PDF/A
- 01
Open your PDF
Choose one unlocked PDF for conversion.
- 02
Choose the archival level
Select PDF/A-2b or PDF/A-1b and start conversion and validation.
- 03
Review the validated result
Download the compliant output and inspect its page appearance.
PDF to PDF/A – Convert & Validate an Archival Copy
Convert a PDF to PDF/A-2b or PDF/A-1b for an archival workflow. The generated file is checked with a PDF/A validator before the download is released.
QUICK VIDEO TUTORIAL
How to convert a PDF to PDF/A for archiving
Prepare a PDF for an archive’s format requirements.
English narration
Watch the video
Practical ways to use this tool
Researchers
Package a stable reading copy
Check an archival version of a report or thesis.
Administration
Check a converted record
Use validation together with a visual review.
Features and controls
Choose the required archival level
PDF/A-2b is the default; PDF/A-1b is available for older requirements.
How it works
Both offered levels focus on reproducible visual appearance. PDF/A-2 permits features such as live transparency that PDF/A-1 restricts. Select the level required by your archive, rather than assuming a newer number is always required. PDF/A-3, PDF/UA and PDF/X are not outputs of this tool.
Convert to a self-contained copy
The conversion embeds an sRGB output profile and attempts font embedding.
How it works
The converter rewrites the document for the chosen archival level without deliberately downsampling images. Fonts that cannot be embedded and incompatible PDF features can cause conversion or validation to fail. Color, transparency and interactive behavior may change, so visually compare the result with the source.
Validate before downloading
A successful conversion alone is not enough to release the file.
How it works
The server runs veraPDF against the exact selected profile and checks that page count and page dimensions remain consistent. Only a compliant result is returned. A failed check produces a safe error rather than offering a file merely labelled PDF/A. The result screen identifies the passed level.
Review the archival result
Preview the downloaded copy before adding it to an archive.
How it works
The source stays unchanged. Check page appearance, fonts, links and form values in the generated PDF. Conversion does not retain the validity of a previous certificate signature. The browser preview before processing displays the source, while Preview on the result screen opens the converted file.
Supported files & processing
- Input
- Output
Open one PDF up to 50 MB and 750 pages. Additional output, memory and processing limits can apply to complex documents.
Processing uses our servers. Source files, temporary files and results are deleted from our servers within 30 minutes after processing finishes. We do not share document contents with third parties or use them to train AI models.
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FAQ
A few useful answers
Know what to expect before you start.
Secure processingIs renaming a PDF to PDF/A enough?
No. PDF/A places requirements on document structure and resources. This tool converts the file and validates the result; a filename or metadata label alone is not proof of conformity.
What should I do if conversion fails?
Try exporting a fresh PDF from the original application with embedded fonts, then convert again. Some damaged or incompatible documents cannot be made compliant with this converter. The tool does not bypass a failed validation.
