PDF to PDF/A

Prepare a document for long-term keeping.

Convert locally with LibreOffice to PDF/A-1b, PDF/A-2b or PDF/A-3b. Review the exported appearance and validate the result before archival submission.

How to use PDF to PDF/A

1. Open your document from your device.
2. Adjust the settings and preview the result.
3. Read text results on screen or download your file. Your original remains untouched.

Local by design

Your documents are processed on your device. No account, payment or document upload is required.

Enable JavaScript to use the document workspace.

Create an archival PDF with its limits in view

PDF/A is a family of standards for documents intended to remain reproducible over time. It places requirements on a PDF’s structure and resources, rather than simply giving an ordinary file a different extension. A receiving archive may require a particular PDF/A part and conformance level. Ask for that exact requirement before you convert an important record.

SandboxPDF provides local PDF/A conversion with checks of expected output properties, rather than a complete standards validator. The source stays on your device while the browser runs the required processing engines. Conversion can be more demanding than rotating or splitting pages, especially on a mobile device. Save a copy of your source before starting, close unnecessary heavy tabs and leave the working tab open until the result is ready.

Conversion changes the document representation

The archival workflow may rebuild document content and use embedded replacement fonts. Interactive forms, attachments and existing signatures are not preserved as working features through this conversion. A converted copy should therefore be treated as a new representation for archiving, not as an unchanged signed original. Keep any original signature-bearing file separately with its validation evidence.

Conformance and fidelity are different tests. A file may satisfy structural requirements while displaying a substituted character or an unexpected line break. It may also look correct but fail a machine-readable rule. You need both checks: validation against the requested profile and a visual comparison with the original. Neither check alone establishes that the record meets every requirement of your organisation.

Work through the conversion deliberately

1. Open the source PDF and confirm that all expected pages are present. Resolve password access and missing source content before conversion.
2. Choose the PDF/A profile required by the recipient from the supported options. Do not select a profile solely because its number is higher.
3. Create the result and read any processing status or error. Successful conversion is not a substitute for independent standards validation.
4. Download the converted PDF and reopen it. Compare page count, orientation, accents, symbols, tables and images with the source.
5. For a formal deposit, run the file through the recipient’s required validator and retain the report with the original and converted versions.

What to inspect before an archival handoff

Start with pages containing unusual scripts, mathematical symbols, small table text and transparent graphics. These are more informative than checking only a simple cover page. Make sure replacement fonts have not changed meaning through missing characters or altered alignment. Look at page boundaries too: a clipped footer or missing reference can affect the usefulness of the record even when most pages look correct.

Do not use conversion to hide uncertainty about the source. If an original has missing images, incomplete scans or unreadable text, archival conversion cannot recover them. Similarly, ordinary PDF/A conversion does not automatically create a well-tagged accessible document. Accessibility, record authenticity and archival conformance require their own evidence. Read PDF/A conversion and validation for a fuller explanation of the checks and terminology.

Frequently asked questions

Is changing the filename to PDF/A enough?

No. PDF/A requirements concern the internal document structure and resources. Renaming a file does not embed fonts, correct metadata or validate conformance.

Which profile should I select?

Use the profile named by your archive, organisation or recipient. If none is specified, clarify the requirement before relying on a converted file for a formal submission.

Are existing digital signatures preserved?

Do not expect an existing signature to remain valid after conversion. Preserve the signed original separately; the archival output is a newly produced document.

Does passing validation prove the pages look right?

No. Structural validation and visual fidelity are separate checks. Reopen the output and compare representative and difficult pages with the original.

Does PDF/A make a document accessible?

Not by itself. Reading order, meaningful tags, alternative text and other accessibility requirements need a separate assessment and may require additional authoring work.