PDF → PDF/A Preparation — edit PDF metadata and prepare a file for archiving in your browser
Prepare PDF files for PDF/A archival workflows directly in your browser. This tool helps prepare PDF files for archival workflows, but it does not guarantee certified or validator-passing PDF/A conformance.
Important: this tool does not produce a validator-certified, ISO 19005-compliant PDF/A file. If you need PDF/A output that will pass a formal compliance check — for a court, government archive, or institutional repository — use dedicated software such as Adobe Acrobat Pro or LibreOffice's PDF/A export, and verify with a validator like veraPDF.
The archival preparation console
Upload a PDF, set metadata, and apply the preparation steps below.
Not a certified PDF/A converter
This tool sets document metadata and embeds a set of standard fonts — it does not write the XMP metadata, embedded color profile, or full validation a real ISO 19005 PDF/A file requires. Selecting a different level below changes only the output filename, not the processing. For a file that must pass a formal PDF/A check, use dedicated software and validate with veraPDF or similar.
Drop your PDF here
Drag and drop a PDF, or use Select PDF to choose a file from your device.
Document pages
Choose a label for your own reference. This selection changes the output filename only; it does not convert or validate the PDF against any PDF/A level.
Resizing may affect page layout, annotations, links, or interactive elements. Keep the original page size when preserving the source layout is important.
Adds the 14 standard PDF font resources to the output. This does not detect or re-embed the fonts used by your document's existing text, and it does not make the file PDF/A-compliant.
2. Document metadata
What this does — and what real PDF/A requires
Genuine PDF/A conversion requires the appropriate metadata, color-management information, resource handling, structural restrictions, and conformance validation defined by the selected PDF/A part and level. This tool, running entirely in your browser with pdf-lib, cannot do all of that — so here's exactly where the line sits.
What this tool does
- Sets standard Document Info fields: Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Producer, and Creator.
- Adds the 14 standard PDF font resources to the output. It does not detect or re-embed the fonts used by the source document's existing text.
- Optionally rescales pages to a standard size like A4 or US Letter.
- Labels the output filename with your chosen target PDF/A level for your own reference.
What it does not do
- Does not write the XMP metadata packet a PDF/A validator checks for the conformance level declaration.
- Does not create the color-management and other conformance structures required by a formal PDF/A workflow.
- Does not detect or re-embed the fonts your document's own content actually uses — only unused standard fonts are added.
- Does not check for or remove forbidden elements like encryption, JavaScript, or transparency where a given PDF/A level disallows them.
- Does not run any compliance validation — the output is not checked against ISO 19005 before you download it.
Metadata and fonts are the two things this tool actually changes
The level dropdown labels your file — the real work happens in metadata and font embedding.
Upload your PDF
Drag it onto the upload area, or click Select PDF. Page previews are generated in your browser and may take longer for large documents.
Fill in metadata
Use the control panel to set the fields that actually change the file:
Apply
Click Apply Archival Preparation. Metadata and font embedding happen in this tab.
Download, then verify if it matters
If this file needs to pass a real PDF/A check, validate it with veraPDF before relying on it.
When this tool helps — and when you need real PDF/A software
The stakes of the destination determine whether this tool is enough.
| Situation | What's actually needed | Is this tool enough? |
|---|---|---|
| Personal file organizing | Consistent title/author metadata for your own searchable archive. | Potentially — useful for metadata preparation when no formal PDF/A requirement applies. |
| Internal company records | Basic metadata standardization across a shared drive, no external audit. | Potentially — useful for metadata preparation when no formal PDF/A requirement applies. |
| Court or legal e-filing | A file that passes the court system's PDF/A validation on submission. | No — use certified software and validate first. |
| Government archive submission | Formal ISO 19005 conformance, often independently verified. | No — this tool does not produce or validate formal PDF/A conformance. Use dedicated PDF/A software and verify the result independently. |
| Academic thesis repository | Many universities require a validator-passing PDF/A file. | No — check your institution's requirement first. |
| Long-term personal preservation | A reasonably future-proof file with readable metadata, low stakes. | Limited use — may help organize personal files, but it does not guarantee long-term preservation or PDF/A conformance. |
The real PDF/A levels, and why picking one here doesn't certify anything
These are genuine, well-defined ISO 19005 levels — the information below is accurate. What's not accurate is any implication that selecting one in this tool produces a file meeting that level's actual requirements.
PDF/A-1 (a and b)
Based on PDF 1.4. Level 'b' focuses on reliable visual reproduction, while level 'a' adds logical structure and accessibility requirements. The appropriate level depends on the receiving organization's requirements; choosing a level in this tool does not create that conformance.
PDF/A-2 (a, b, and u)
PDF/A-2 is based on a later PDF specification and permits features such as JPEG2000 compression, transparency, and layers under the applicable PDF/A requirements. Selecting this level here does not create or validate a PDF/A-2 file.
PDF/A-3 (a, b, and u)
PDF/A-3 builds on the PDF/A-2 family and permits associated files, such as XML or CSV source data, to be embedded in the PDF/A document under additional requirements. Selecting PDF/A-3 here does not create or validate a PDF/A-3 file.
How to actually get there
Use PDF/A export features in suitable desktop software or a dedicated conversion workflow. After conversion, validate the resulting file with veraPDF or another validator accepted by the receiving organization.
When the output isn't what you expected
What's actually happening, and the fastest way through it.
A PDF/A validator rejects the file
This tool doesn't write the XMP metadata or color profile a validator checks for.
Use Adobe Acrobat Pro, LibreOffice's PDF/A export, or dedicated software, and validate with veraPDF.
A recipient says a font isn't embedded
This tool embeds 14 unused standard fonts, not the font your document's actual text uses.
Check the original document's font-embedding status before processing, or use software that re-embeds fonts already in use.
Choosing a different level didn't change anything
Expected — every level runs identical processing. Only the output filename changes.
This is by design, not a bug — see the levels section above for what genuinely differs between them.
A password-protected PDF won't load
Password-protected or encrypted PDFs may not load because this browser-based workflow does not provide a password-entry or decryption step.
If you have permission to do so, create an unlocked copy using trusted PDF software, then upload that copy.
Convert button does nothing
No PDF has been uploaded yet.
Upload a PDF first — the button becomes active once pages have loaded.
Validator rejects the file
Why: No XMP metadata or color profile written.
Fix: Use certified software + veraPDF.
Font not embedded
Why: Standard fonts embedded, not your document's own.
Fix: Use software that re-embeds real fonts.
Level selection did nothing
Why: All levels run the same processing.
Fix: Expected — see levels section above.
Password-protected PDF won't load
Why: Password-protected or encrypted PDFs may not load because this browser-based workflow does not provide a password-entry or decryption step.
Fix: Create an unlocked copy first, then upload.
Convert button does nothing
Why: No PDF uploaded.
Fix: Upload a PDF first.
Using this tool without overtrusting it
A working approach that keeps expectations matched to what it can actually deliver.
Check the requirement before you start
If a court, government body, or institution requires validator-passing PDF/A, confirm that upfront — this tool won't meet that bar.
Use it for low-stakes metadata cleanup
For personal archives or internal records with no formal check, setting title/author/subject here is genuinely useful.
Validate before you rely on it
Run any output you care about through veraPDF before submitting it somewhere that will check for compliance.
Don't pick a level expecting different output
Every option in the dropdown produces the same file — pick whichever matches what your recipient asked for, for labeling purposes.
Use dedicated software for anything regulatory
Legal filings, government archives, and academic repositories are exactly the cases where this tool is the wrong choice.
Keep the original file
Metadata changes are easy to redo, but keeping the untouched original means you can still process it correctly with better tools later.
PDF → PDF/A Preparation FAQ
Start with the first question below if you're relying on this for a compliance-critical submission.
Is the output a certified, validator-passing PDF/A file?
No. This tool is not designed to produce a validator-certified PDF/A file. It changes document metadata and adds standard PDF font resources, but it does not perform the full PDF/A conversion and validation workflow required for ISO 19005 conformance. Validate any output independently before relying on it for a compliance-critical submission.
Does choosing a different PDF/A level (1b, 2b, 3b, etc.) change the output?
Only the output filename. The processing steps — metadata and standard font embedding — are identical regardless of which level you select. The dropdown exists for labeling purposes, not because this tool performs level-specific compliance processing.
Is it safe to upload my documents here?
The PDF is processed in your browser, and this page does not intentionally upload the file to our server. However, the page loads third-party scripts and fonts, so local processing should not be confused with a completely offline environment. For highly sensitive documents, use trusted software in an environment you control.
Does adding the 14 standard PDF font resources embed every font in my document?
No. It adds the 14 standard PDF font resources — Times, Helvetica, Courier, Symbol, and ZapfDingbats variants — to the output. It does not detect or re-embed the fonts used by your document's existing text, and it does not make the file PDF/A-compliant.
What happens to my file after I'm done?
The PDF is processed locally in your browser; no file upload is required. The output PDF is generated in your browser and downloaded as a new file; the original stays untouched.