PDF to PDF/A

Convert PDF to PDF/A-2b for long-term archiving, with an embedded colour profile and archive metadata. Free and private.

PDF/A is the ISO standard for PDFs that must still open and look the same in decades. Courts, government portals, universities and archives often ask for it. A PDF/A file carries everything it needs inside: its fonts, a colour profile and descriptive metadata — and nothing that could break or change it, like JavaScript or links to outside files.

This converter makes a PDF/A-2b copy of your PDF on your own device. Pages that can be archived as they are keep their sharp, selectable text; pages that can't (for example because a font isn't embedded) become high-quality images with an invisible text layer, so you can still search and copy the text.

How to use PDF to PDF/A

  1. Click “Choose PDF file” or drop your PDF onto the page.
  2. Keep “Keep text (recommended)”, or choose “All pages as images” for the strictest checks.
  3. Read the summary: it tells you which pages, if any, will become images and why.
  4. Click “Convert to PDF/A” and download your archive-ready PDF.

Features

  • PDF/A-2b output with an embedded sRGB colour profile (OutputIntent).
  • XMP archive metadata that matches the document properties (title, author, dates).
  • Removes what PDF/A forbids: JavaScript, automatic actions, attached files, multimedia and hidden annotations.
  • Keeps text, links and bookmarks wherever possible; searchable text on pages turned into images.
  • No upload, no sign-up, no watermark.

Frequently asked questions

Which PDF/A level does this make?

PDF/A-2b (ISO 19005-2, level B): the visual appearance is preserved for the long term. It's the level most portals and archives accept.

Is the result validated?

The converter checks and fixes the common PDF/A rules (fonts, colours, metadata, actions, annotations). For legal or official submissions, also check the file with the receiver's validator, as some portals use extra rules.

Why did some pages become images?

PDF/A needs every font embedded in the file and colours in one colour space. When a page uses a font that isn't embedded, or print (CMYK) colours, it is turned into an image so it looks exactly the same everywhere. Its text stays searchable through an invisible text layer.

Is my file uploaded?

No. The conversion runs in your browser; your PDF never leaves your device.

Can I convert a password-protected PDF?

PDF/A doesn't allow encryption. Remove the password with Unlock PDF first, then convert.

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