Convert PDF to PDF/A

Turn a PDF into PDF/A-1b, 2b or 3b for long-term archiving, then read the veraPDF validation result in plain text rather than behind a checkmark. Runs on our server; files are deleted automatically within about two hours.

Drop your files here

.pdf · up to 300 MB · up to 30 jobs an hour · uploaded to our server and deleted after processing; the result is wiped within about two hours

Choose files

PDF/A-1b — strictest, flattens transparencyPDF/A-2b — recommended defaultPDF/A-3b — allows file attachments

More settings

Document titleAuthorRun OCR (add searchable text to scans)Validate with veraPDF after conversion

How to Convert to PDF/A

1
Upload your PDF
Up to 300 MB, up to 500 pages. Password-protected files need the password removed first, because PDF/A does not allow encryption.
2
Pick the PDF/A level
2b fits almost every archive. 1b is stricter and flattens transparency. 3b also allows file attachments.
3
Download the file and read the validation result
The file downloads either way. A green result means veraPDF confirmed compliance. A yellow one lists the rules that did not pass.

Why the validation result is shown, not hidden

The usual way to build PDF/A is Ghostscript's dedicated conversion device, and this project does not use Ghostscript at all. It is AGPL-3.0 licensed by Artifex, which pursues commercial SaaS users under that license, and that is a risk this project is not willing to carry. Instead, the tool assembles the PDF/A structure directly with pikepdf: it embeds fonts and writes the required XMP metadata and colour profile by hand. That is a best-effort path, not the canonical one, so the tool does not quietly claim success. Every conversion is checked with veraPDF, the reference validator used by archives and courts, and the verdict you see is the one it gave, pass or fail.

What the three PDF/A levels actually mean

PDF/A-1b is the strictest and oldest, based on PDF 1.4: no transparency and no layered content are allowed, so any page using them is flattened to a plain image before conversion. PDF/A-2b, based on PDF 1.7, keeps transparency and JPEG2000 images as real vector and layered content, and it is the right default for nearly everything made after 2010. PDF/A-3b adds one thing on top of 2b: permission to embed arbitrary source files, such as a spreadsheet behind an invoice PDF. That is why e-invoicing and similar bundled-document standards ask for it.

Fonts, colour and what changes in the file

PDF/A requires every font to be embedded and every colour tied to a declared profile. A PDF that merely names "Helvetica" and relies on the reader's own copy fails validation immediately. Any font not already embedded is replaced with a metrically compatible Liberation or Noto font and embedded directly, and colours are bound to a standard sRGB output profile. This is why converted files are noticeably larger than the original. Carrying the fonts and profile a PDF/A reader needs, rather than assuming the viewer already has them, is what the format is for.

Processed on our server, deleted automatically

PDF/A assembly, font embedding and validation all happen on PulsarKit's server, since no license-clean browser tool builds PDF/A. The uploaded file is deleted as soon as the job finishes. The result stays downloadable for one hour and is wiped from the server within about two hours, whether or not you download it.

Frequently asked questions

What is PDF/A, and why would I need it?

PDF/A is an ISO standard for long-term archiving: every font is embedded, colours are tied to a fixed profile, and nothing in the file depends on external resources or software the reader might not have decades from now. Archives, courts and government systems commonly require it for submitted documents specifically because an ordinary PDF gives no such guarantee.

Which level should I pick: 1b, 2b or 3b?

2b for almost any modern document. It is the most commonly required level and keeps transparency intact. 1b if a specific archive insists on the older, stricter standard; it flattens any transparency to a flat image. 3b only if you need to attach another file, such as a source spreadsheet, inside the PDF.

Why does compliance sometimes come back unconfirmed?

The canonical way to build PDF/A relies on Ghostscript, which this project does not use because its AGPL-3.0 license targets commercial SaaS usage. The tool's own pikepdf-based path is best-effort, so rather than hide that, every result is checked with veraPDF and the verdict is shown to you, whichever way it goes.

Can I still download the file if validation fails?

Yes. The file downloads either way. A failed validation lists up to ten rules that did not pass, so you know what fell short instead of getting a silent, unverifiable result.

Why can't I add a password to a PDF/A file?

The PDF/A standard forbids encryption of any kind. An encrypted file can become unreadable if a future reader loses the key or the encryption scheme falls out of use, which is the failure archival formats exist to prevent. Add a password afterwards with a regular PDF tool if you need one for day-to-day handling.

Why is the converted file bigger than the original?

PDF/A requires every font and colour profile to be fully embedded rather than assumed, which typically adds 10-40% to the file size. That weight is the format's guarantee that the file still renders correctly on hardware and software that does not exist yet.

What happens with a scanned PDF that has no text layer?

Turn on "Run OCR". The tool adds a searchable text layer with Tesseract before building the PDF/A structure, the same as running OCR PDF first, so the archived file is both compliant and searchable.

How long is the file kept on the server?

The uploaded file is deleted as soon as the job finishes. The converted PDF/A stays downloadable for one hour and is wiped from the server within about two hours, whether or not you download it.