Convert a PDF to the ISO PDF/A standard for long-term archiving.
Convert a PDF into PDF/A — the ISO-standardised format for long-term preservation. All fonts and colour information are embedded and non-archival features are removed, so the document stays readable and unchanged for decades. Choose PDF/A-1b, 2b or 3b. Files are processed securely and never stored.
Upload your file using the tool above.
Adjust any settings to your preference.
Click the process button and wait for results.
Download your output using the download button.
It is a restricted subset built for longevity. Everything needed to render the document must be inside the file — fonts embedded, colour spaces defined — and features that depend on the outside world are banned: no JavaScript, no external links for content, no encryption, no unembedded fonts.
Because something requires it. Courts, government agencies, journals and institutional archives commonly mandate PDF/A for submissions, precisely so the document still renders identically decades from now. If nobody is asking for it, a normal PDF is fine.
Visually it should be near-identical. What changes is under the surface: fonts get embedded, which usually increases file size, and prohibited features are removed. If your PDF relied on encryption or interactive scripting, expect those to be stripped — that is the standard doing its job.
Yes, PDF to PDF/A Converter is completely free. No signup, no account, and no watermark on outputs. A Pro tier is available for 100 AI ops/day and larger file sizes.
PDF to PDF/A Converter uploads your file over an encrypted connection to our own processing server, converts it, and returns the result. The file is deleted immediately after processing and is never used for anything else. It is not sent to any third party, and we keep no copies.
Drop a PDF to convert to PDF/A
Make an archival, long-term-preservation PDF
Drop your file into the stage to begin.
What is PDF/A?: PDF/A is an ISO-standardised version of PDF for long-term archiving. It embeds all fonts and colour information and forbids features (like JavaScript or external links) that could stop the file rendering identically decades from now.
When you need it: Legal, government and records-management systems often require PDF/A for documents that must remain readable and unchanged over time.
Privacy: Your PDF is sent over an encrypted connection, converted in memory, and deleted immediately after — never stored.