Which level should I choose if nobody told me?

PDF/A-2B is a safe choice: it is widely accepted and allows transparency, which many modern PDFs contain. Choose 1B only when an older system requires it, and part 3 only when the PDF must keep attached files.

What is the difference between the B and U levels?

B guarantees that the document looks the same in the future. U also requires that all text can be extracted as Unicode, so search and copy work reliably; PDFs with special math or symbol fonts sometimes cannot meet it.

Why did I get a PDF/A-3 file when I chose PDF/A-2B?

Your PDF contains attachments, which only part 3 allows, and you had the level adjustment switch on. Turn it off if you would rather be told and remove the attachments yourself.

Can I convert a password-protected PDF?

If the PDF only restricts printing or editing, it is handled automatically. If it needs a password to open, enter it when asked; the PDF/A result itself is never encrypted, since the standard forbids encryption.

Is my document stored after it is converted?

No. The file is processed on vupdf's own servers only for the conversion and deleted right after the PDF/A version is delivered.

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PDF to PDF/A

Convert to the PDF/A standard for long-term archiving.

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What PDF to PDF/A does

PDF to PDF/A rewrites an existing PDF to follow PDF/A, the ISO standard for documents that must open and look the same decades from now. Courts, land registries, universities and corporate archives often accept only PDF/A, because such a file must carry everything it needs inside itself: fonts, a defined color space and metadata, with no scripts or outside dependencies.

You pick one of five conformance levels, with PDF/A-2B recommended, and the tool does the clean-up: it embeds fonts the PDF only names, removes document scripts, gives form fields proper appearances and rebuilds the metadata. If the file contains something the chosen level forbids, it says what, and an optional switch lets it move to the nearest level that fits. A short report then lists what was fixed and what a strict validator might still reject.

How to use PDF to PDF/A

Upload the PDF you want to archive, up to 50 MB.
Pick a conformance level: 1B, 2B, 2U, 3B or 3U; the box below the buttons explains the one you selected.
Turn on “Allow lowering of the PDF/A conformance level” if you would rather get a slightly different level than a refusal.
Start the conversion, and enter the PDF's open password if the tool asks for it.
Read the note shown with the result, then download the PDF/A file.

Features and options

Five conformance levels: 1B is the oldest and strictest, with no transparency. 2B is the modern default and allows transparency and layers. The U variants also require that every character can be searched and copied as Unicode, and part 3 additionally allows attached files such as XML or spreadsheets.
Missing fonts embedded: PDF/A forbids fonts that are only referenced by name. The tool embeds suitable fonts for them and keeps only the characters actually used, so the file does not grow much, and the report names the fonts it added.
Scripts removed automatically: JavaScript is not allowed at any PDF/A level. Document-level scripts, such as the version checks found in many official forms, are stripped and the result says so.
Optional level adjustment: With the switch on, a file with attachments moves to part 3, a file with transparency moves from PDF/A-1 to PDF/A-2, and characters without Unicode mappings move a U level to B. With it off, the conversion stops and explains which content is the problem.

When it helps

A court or e-filing portal rejects your PDF petition with the message that only PDF/A is accepted.
Your graduate school asks for the final thesis as PDF/A-1b or PDF/A-2b, and you already have a normal PDF.
An e-invoice that carries embedded XML has to be archived without losing the attachment, which calls for part 3.

Tips and limits

If you still have the original Word, Excel or PowerPoint file, choosing PDF/A in those converters often gives a cleaner result than converting the finished PDF.
A font the tool cannot embed is listed in the report; such a file is marked PDF/A but may fail a strict check. Recreating the PDF with fonts embedded is the real fix.
This tool prepares and marks the file; it does not issue a formal validation certificate. If your recipient runs a strict validator, test the file there before a deadline.
Scanned PDFs become valid PDF/A images, but the text is still not searchable. Run OCR first if the archive expects searchable text.

Frequently asked questions

Which level should I choose if nobody told me?: PDF/A-2B is a safe choice: it is widely accepted and allows transparency, which many modern PDFs contain. Choose 1B only when an older system requires it, and part 3 only when the PDF must keep attached files.
What is the difference between the B and U levels?: B guarantees that the document looks the same in the future. U also requires that all text can be extracted as Unicode, so search and copy work reliably; PDFs with special math or symbol fonts sometimes cannot meet it.
Why did I get a PDF/A-3 file when I chose PDF/A-2B?: Your PDF contains attachments, which only part 3 allows, and you had the level adjustment switch on. Turn it off if you would rather be told and remove the attachments yourself.
Can I convert a password-protected PDF?: If the PDF only restricts printing or editing, it is handled automatically. If it needs a password to open, enter it when asked; the PDF/A result itself is never encrypted, since the standard forbids encryption.
Is my document stored after it is converted?: No. The file is processed on vupdf's own servers only for the conversion and deleted right after the PDF/A version is delivered.

Related guides

PDF/A Explained: Levels, Rules and When You Need It