Made to be opened years from now
PDF/A-1b, 2b or 3b
Pick the version the portal asks for. 2b is chosen for you, since it’s the one most often accepted.
Fonts and colours locked in
Every font is embedded and colours are tied to a standard sRGB profile, so the pages look the same on any computer, now or later.
Converted on our server, then deleted
This tool uploads your PDF over an encrypted connection. The PDF and the PDF/A file are deleted automatically within an hour.
How to convert a PDF to PDF/A
Choose your PDF
Drop it on the box above or pick it from your phone or computer. Files up to 20 MB and 300 pages.
Pick the PDF/A version
Leave it on PDF/A-2b unless the portal’s instructions name PDF/A-1b or 3b.
Convert
Press Convert to PDF/A. Your file is uploaded, converted and checked, usually in a few seconds.
Download and upload it as it is
Save the file and upload it straight to the portal. Editing, compressing or signing it in another app afterwards can undo the PDF/A part.
Questions
Is my PDF uploaded?
Yes. Rewriting a PDF to the PDF/A standard needs a program a web browser doesn’t have, so this tool sends your file to our server. It travels over an encrypted connection, and both your PDF and the PDF/A file are deleted automatically within an hour. Avoid uploading documents you aren’t allowed to share.
What is PDF/A?
PDF/A is a version of PDF made for keeping documents for a long time, set out in the ISO 19005 standard. A PDF/A file carries everything it needs inside it: all fonts are embedded, colours are defined by a colour profile, and it can’t depend on outside files, run scripts or be locked with a password. That way it opens and prints the same way in any PDF reader, years later.
Should I choose PDF/A-1b, 2b or 3b?
Use whatever the portal or office names. If it only says “PDF/A”, PDF/A-2b is a safe choice. PDF/A-1b is the oldest version, based on PDF 1.4: it doesn’t allow transparency, so see-through parts are flattened, and some files get larger. PDF/A-3b is like 2b but also allows other files to be attached inside the PDF. The “b” (basic) level means the pages will look the same in future; it’s the level most portals ask for.
Which portals in India ask for PDF/A?
Some High Courts’ e-filing systems, some government departments and record rooms, and some archives and libraries ask for PDF/A, or accept it alongside ordinary PDF. Rules differ from place to place and change over time, so check the portal’s own instructions for the version, file size and page size they want.
Will my PDF look the same?
The pages will. Text, pictures, tables and page sizes stay as they are, and fonts are embedded. Things PDF/A doesn’t allow are removed: for example JavaScript, embedded media and links to outside files. With PDF/A-1b, see-through parts are flattened. The file size may go up, because every font is now included.
My PDF has a password or a digital signature. What happens?
PDF/A files can’t be password-protected, so remove the password first with Unlock PDF, then convert the unlocked file. Converting rewrites the file, so an existing digital signature won’t stay valid. If the document must be digitally signed, convert it to PDF/A first and sign the PDF/A file afterwards.
Is the result checked?
Yes. After converting, we check that the file opens, has every page, carries the sRGB colour profile PDF/A needs, and is marked with the version you chose. If any of that fails, you get a message instead of a file wrongly labelled PDF/A. For a formal check, open the file in a validator such as veraPDF.