pdfMB

PDF to PDF/A

Turn a PDF into a PDF/A file for long-term archiving, and see clearly whether it passes. Your file stays on this device.

  • No uploadYour file stays on this device.
  • Your original stays as it isYou download a new copy. Your file is never changed.
  • Free, no sign-upNo account and no daily limit.

What happens to your file

Everything below happens inside your browser, on your own device. The PDF is never uploaded, so nobody else, including us, can see it.

  1. pdfMB opens the PDF and goes through every page, form field, comment, link and image, including the parts you can’t see.
  2. Fonts that are used but not embedded are replaced with free fonts that have exactly the same letter widths (Liberation Sans, Serif and Mono for Helvetica or Arial, Times and Courier), so the text stays in the same place. Only the letters the file uses are embedded.
  3. The sRGB colour profile is added. If the file uses CMYK colours, a colour profile is added for them too, without changing the colour values.
  4. JavaScript, actions that launch programs or play media, and hidden comments are removed. Comments, links and form fields are made printable, and form fields without a saved look get one.
  5. The document information is written in the XMP format that PDF/A requires, and the file is saved again.
  6. The saved file is opened again and checked against the PDF/A rules pdfMB tests. Only a file that passes every check is marked as PDF/A. Otherwise you see which rules still fail.
In short
  1. Choose a PDF
  2. Keep PDF/A-2b unless you were told otherwise
  3. Press “Convert to PDF/A”
  4. Download it, or read what still fails

How to convert a PDF to PDF/A

  1. Choose a PDF or drop it on the box. pdfMB shows the number of pages and whether the file already says it is PDF/A.
  2. Pick the PDF/A version. Keep PDF/A-2b if the place you are sending it to doesn’t say otherwise. Choose 1b only if it is asked for, and 3b if you need to keep attached files.
  3. Press “Convert to PDF/A”. pdfMB fixes the file and then checks it again.
  4. If it passes, download your PDF/A file. If not, pdfMB lists what still fails and what you can do about it.

What PDF/A is

PDF/A is a version of PDF made for keeping documents for many years. It is an ISO standard (ISO 19005), and archives, courts, universities and government systems often require it.

A PDF/A file must contain everything needed to show it: all fonts, a colour profile and the document information. It can’t contain JavaScript, links that launch programs, sound, video or encryption.

The “b” in 1b, 2b and 3b means the pages are guaranteed to look the same in the future. It is the level almost every system asks for.

When people use it

Uploading to government and court systems

Many e-filing and e-court systems only accept PDF/A. Convert the file and check that it passes before you upload it.

Theses and university repositories

Universities often ask for the final copy of a thesis in PDF/A, so it can still be opened decades from now.

Company archives and records

Contracts, invoices and reports kept for years stay readable, because everything they need is inside the file.

E-invoices

Formats such as ZUGFeRD and Factur-X use PDF/A-3 with the invoice data attached to the PDF.

What it can’t do

  • Missing fonts can only be fixed for Helvetica, Arial, Times, Times New Roman, Courier and Courier New. Other missing fonts, such as Thai, Chinese or symbol fonts, need the original document.
  • PDF/A-1b doesn’t allow transparency. pdfMB doesn’t flatten transparent content into pictures, so choose PDF/A-2b for files that have it.
  • It makes level “b” files. Levels “a” (tagged for accessibility) and “u” (all text must map to Unicode) are not offered yet.
  • pdfMB checks the rules it can test in the browser, and its results were compared with veraPDF on our test files. It is not a certified validator.
  • Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked first, because PDF/A doesn’t allow encryption.
  • A digital signature in the file stops being valid, because the file changes.

Questions about PDF/A

Is my PDF uploaded?

No. The conversion and the check both run inside your browser, and the file never leaves your device.

Which version should I choose?

PDF/A-2b, unless the place you send the file to asks for something else. It is widely accepted and allows transparency. Choose 1b only if PDF/A-1 is required, and 3b if you need to keep attachments.

Will my file look different?

No. pdfMB doesn’t turn pages into pictures. Missing fonts are replaced with fonts of exactly the same letter widths, so the text stays in place.

Why does pdfMB say my file can’t be converted?

Some things can’t be fixed without the original document, such as a missing font that has no free replacement. pdfMB tells you which rule fails instead of giving you a file that only claims to be PDF/A.

Can I still copy the text?

Yes. The text stays text, so you can search and copy it, including Thai.

Does it keep form fields?

Yes. Form fields stay in the file and can still be filled in. Fields without a saved look get one, as PDF/A requires.