Convert a PDF toward PDF/A
A partial move toward archival format: sets clean metadata and re-saves a tidy copy. Not a validated PDF/A.
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How it works
A partial move toward archival format: sets clean metadata and re-saves a tidy copy. Not a validated PDF/A.
Honest framing: true PDF/A compliance requires every font embedded with the right subsetting, ICC color profiles attached, no JavaScript, no encryption, and a validator pass that browsers can't fully perform. What this tool does: sets clean metadata (your title and author if provided, plus producer and creation/modification dates), and re-saves a clean copy. For many archival uses (internal records, low-stakes long-term storage), this is enough. For legal or regulatory archives that demand PDF/A-1b, PDF/A-2b, or PDF/A-3b compliance, run the output through a real validator (Acrobat, veraPDF) before relying on it. Output filename has -pdfa appended. Built on pdf-lib. Password-protected PDFs need Remove password first, since PDF/A forbids encryption.
How to use it
- Drop your PDF. Drag the PDF you want to prepare for archiving.
- Set title and author. Optionally fill in the metadata fields written into the output.
- Convert. Clean metadata is written and the file re-saved, all locally.
- Validate if it matters. For legal or regulatory archives, run the output through a real validator like veraPDF.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this a real PDF/A converter?
- It's a partial conversion. It cleans metadata and re-saves, but doesn't embed fonts or attach ICC profiles, which true PDF/A requires.
- Can I use this for legal archives?
- Only if you verify the output with a PDF/A validator. The conversion gets you closer to compliance but doesn't certify it.
- What changes about my PDF?
- Metadata is set or cleaned, the producer field is rewritten, and creation and modification dates are set to now. Pages and text are unchanged.
- Does this upload my PDF?
- No. Everything runs locally via pdf-lib.