What you should know
PDF to PDF/A turns an ordinary PDF into an archival PDF. PDF/A is an ISO standard (19005) designed so that a document stays readable exactly as it is for decades: embedded fonts, defined colours, no content depending on the outside world.
FileXvert produces PDF/A-2b with Ghostscript on its server. We checked the result with veraPDF, the PDF Association's reference validator. The file is sent to our server over an encrypted connection, after a notice shown before upload, converted in an isolated service with no Internet access, then deleted as soon as the result is returned.
Strengths
- PDF/A-2b compliance checked with veraPDF
- Fonts embedded and sRGB colour profile included
- The format required by many administrations and archiving platforms
- The document's visible content is kept
Limitations to know
- An encrypted or password-protected PDF cannot be converted
- Elements forbidden in PDF/A (JavaScript, multimedia content) are removed
- Existing electronic signatures are invalidated by the conversion
- The file leaves your device for the duration of the conversion
When to use it
Convert to PDF/A when an organisation requires it (thesis submission, public tenders, legal archiving) or to keep an important document for the long term. Sign the document after conversion, never before.
Quality, size and compatibility
The document is rewritten according to the standard: fonts embedded, colours mapped to an sRGB profile, metadata completed. Its appearance is kept; only elements the standard forbids disappear. The file may grow slightly because of embedded fonts.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between PDF/A-1, 2 and 3?
- They are successive versions of the standard. PDF/A-2, produced here, allows transparency and JPEG 2000 compression; it is accepted wherever PDF/A is required without a specific version.
- How can I check that my file is compliant?
- With veraPDF, the free reference tool. It is the one we used to validate the files FileXvert produces.