Convert PDF to PDF/A Online — ISO 19005-2 Archival Compliance
Transform standard PDFs into long-term archival PDF/A-2b format.
Drop up to 50 PDFs at once — no install, no sign-up required.
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How it works
- 1 · Drop your files
Drag & drop or choose PDF files. No account required on Free—paid plans unlock bigger batches, higher limits, and priority queues.
- 2 · We convert securely
Processed on our dedicated servers. Encrypted in transit & at rest. PDFs converted to ISO 19005-2 compliant PDF/A-2b format. We never store filenames—only file types & sizes for accounting. We never train AI models on uploads.
- 3 · Download & auto-delete
Grab your PDF/A files in seconds. Each file is converted to archival-compliant format. Files delete automatically after 1 hour. Delete anytime after downloading with one click.
PDF (Portable Document Format) is Adobe's universal document standard, designed to present text, images, and layout consistently across any device or platform. First released in 1993 and later standardized as ISO 32000, PDF supports vector graphics, embedded fonts, forms, annotations, and encryption. It has become the de facto format for document exchange, digital publishing, and archival—billions of PDFs are created daily worldwide.
Learn more: PDF on Wikipedia
PDF excels at preserving document fidelity and works universally—every operating system and browser includes native PDF support. For long-term archival or regulatory compliance, PDF/A is the appropriate variant.
PDF/A is an ISO-standardized subset of PDF specifically designed for long-term archival and preservation. Unlike standard PDF, PDF/A prohibits features that could degrade over time—no external dependencies, fonts must be embedded, encryption is forbidden, and all content must be self-contained. The standard ensures documents remain readable and visually consistent decades into the future, making it mandatory for legal archives, government records, and regulatory compliance.
Authoritative reference: ISO 19005-1 (PDF/A-1)
PDF/A is required by many organizations for record retention, legal filings, and regulatory submissions. If archival permanence matters more than file size or advanced features, PDF/A is the correct choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PDF/A and why should I use it?
What PDF/A conformance level do you use?
Is my converted PDF/A legally valid for court filings?
Yes, if your original PDF content meets legal requirements. Our converter produces ISO 19005-2 compliant PDF/A-2b files that:
- Are accepted by most courts and government agencies worldwide
- Meet federal and state e-filing requirements in the US
- Comply with EU regulations requiring archival formats
The PDF/A format guarantees the document will remain readable and unchanged over time. However, the legal validity of the content itself (signatures, attestations) depends on your original document.
For highest assurance, verify the output passes PDF/A validation using tools like veraPDF.
Will converting to PDF/A change my document's appearance?
What PDF features are not supported?
Some PDFs may fail conversion if they contain features incompatible with PDF/A:
- Password-protected PDFs — Remove encryption before converting
- CMYK images without ICC profiles — May cause conversion errors
- Encrypted or DRM-protected content — Cannot be processed
If conversion fails, you'll receive a clear error message explaining the issue.
What are the limits for this converter?
| Tier | Max File Size | Max Files/Batch | Parallel Processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guest/Free | 50 MB | 50 files | 3 at once |
| Pro | 1024 MB | 1000 files | 6 at once |
Note: File size limits are specific to this converter. Batch and parallel processing limits apply to all documents converters site-wide. See all converter limits →
How are credits calculated for this conversion?
Cost: 1 credit per 5 MB
How it works:
- Files up to 5 MB: 1 credit
- 6-10 MB: 2 credits
- 11-15 MB: 3 credits
- 16-20 MB: 4 credits
Example: A 5 MB document = 1 credit. A 95 MB document = 19 credits.
Why per-megabyte? Larger files require more resources (processing, bandwidth, storage).
What are my daily and monthly credit limits?
Credit allocations vary by account tier:
| Tier | Daily Limit | Monthly Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Guest | 100 credits/day | — |
| Free | 100 credits/day | — |
| Pro | — | 12,000 credits/month |
Daily credits (Guest & Free tiers) reset every day at midnight UTC. Monthly credits (Pro) reset on your billing cycle date.
Note: With 1 credit per 5 MB, a typical document costs 1 credit. Pro users can convert 12000 documents per month.
Answers at a Glance
Quick answers to common questions.
- Are my files secure?
- How long do you keep my files?
- What metadata do you keep?
- What happens after I drop a file?
- Why are conversions so fast?
- How do you measure performance?
- What are the exact limits for each plan?
- Can I process files in bulk?
- Why did my file fail to convert?
- Do you use my files to train AI?
What's New in PDF to PDF/A
Latest improvements to this converter
Initial release of PDF to PDF/A converter. Convert existing PDFs to ISO 19005-2 compliant PDF/A-2b format for long-term archival.
Need to get more done? Pro starts from $5.
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