Open a PDF and download an archive copy. The original file is not changed.
What PDF/A is
PDF/A is the version of PDF made for keeping documents readable for decades. Courts, tax offices, universities and archives often ask for it. A PDF/A file has to carry everything it needs inside it, such as its fonts and colour information, and it may not depend on scripts, links to outside files or attachments.
What this tool changes
- Adds PDF/A-2b identification and the document details as XMP metadata, matching the title and author already in the file.
- Adds an sRGB colour profile as the output intent, so colours are defined the same way on every screen and printer.
- Removes JavaScript, actions that open other programs, automatic actions, attached files and media.
- Makes hidden annotations printable and keeps standard form fields with their appearance.
- Finds fonts that are not stored in the file and, if you choose, redraws only those pages as images.
What it cannot fix
Some files need changes that only a full editing suite can make, for example documents that use CMYK colours without a matching profile, unusual compression, or damaged fonts. Encrypted PDFs must be unlocked first. Because of this, the result is a best-effort conversion, and a validator is the only way to be sure. The free veraPDF validator gives a detailed report for any file.
Private by design
Your PDF is read and converted by your browser. Nothing is uploaded, which matters for the legal, medical and financial records that usually need archiving. A protected PDF can be opened with Unlock PDF first.