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PPDF123

Convert PDF to PDF/A

PDF to PDF/A rewrites a PDF with Ghostscript in PDF/A-1 or PDF/A-2 mode. It is a conversion, not a certificate: check the result in a PDF/A validator if archival compliance is required.

Drag and drop files here, or click to choose

Accepts PDF · up to 500.0 MB per file · up to 20 files at once

You can also paste a file with Ctrl/Cmd+V, or from the clipboard menu.

PDF to PDF/A runs Ghostscript `pdfwrite` with `-dPDFA=1` or `-dPDFA=2` and `-dPDFACompatibilityPolicy=1`. The file is rewritten as a PDF, not validated against a PDF/A checker and not given an embedded output-intent profile you can rely on in an archive audit.

The `outputFormat` field is reduced to a digit test: if the value contains the character `1`, Ghostscript gets PDFA=1; otherwise it gets PDFA=2. Labels such as `pdfa-3`, `pdfa-3b`, and `pdfx` therefore still produce PDF/A-2, not PDF/A-3 or PDF/X.

This is not OCR and not a color-management suite. Transparency, exotic fonts, and encryption can make Ghostscript fail or drop content. Password-protected files are unlocked for you on this page once you enter the password; API callers run Unlock first.

Open the download in a PDF/A validator you trust if archival compliance is the actual requirement. This page is a Ghostscript conversion, not a certificate.

Features

  • Ghostscript `pdfwrite` with `-dPDFA=1` or `-dPDFA=2`
  • Format strings containing `1` select part 1; everything else is part 2
  • Not a PDF/A validator and not PDF/X
  • Anonymous API at /api/v1/convert/pdf/pdfa

When to use this tool

  • Get a Ghostscript PDF/A-1 or PDF/A-2 rewrite as a starting point
  • Re-save an office export before a checker you already run
  • Avoid claiming PDF/X when you only needed a pdfwrite pass

How do I convert a PDF to PDF/A?

  1. Upload the PDF; if it is password-protected, enter its password when asked.
  2. Pick an outputFormat if you care about part 1 vs part 2. Values without a `1` become PDF/A-2.
  3. Click Process and download the rewritten PDF.
  4. Run your own PDF/A checker before calling the file archival.

Limits and edge cases

  • No PDF/A-3, no PDF/X, no veraPDF report
  • Password-protected files need the password; API callers run Unlock first
  • Not OCR; scans remain images
  • Upload limit on this website: 500 MB per file, sent in chunks above about 95 MB. A single direct API request body is capped at 100 MB.

Examples

  • Choosing pdfa-1 sends -dPDFA=1 to Ghostscript
  • Choosing pdfx still sends -dPDFA=2

Privacy for this tool

Files are uploaded over HTTPS, processed in memory or a short-lived temporary directory on our servers, and deleted when your result is ready. We do not keep copies for later browsing, training, or advertising profiles. See the Privacy Policy for retention details and AdSense cookie disclosures.

Frequently asked questions

Does pdfa-3 produce PDF/A-3?
No. Only the presence of the character 1 in outputFormat selects PDFA=1. pdfa-3, pdfa-3b, and pdfx all take the PDFA=2 branch.
Is the output guaranteed PDF/A?
No. Ghostscript converts with CompatibilityPolicy=1. Failed subsetting or missing profiles can still yield a file that a veraPDF-class checker rejects.
Does this embed ICC profiles?
Not as a documented, guaranteed step. Do not treat the download as a complete output-intent package.
Will text stay selectable?
When Ghostscript keeps text as text, yes. Some jobs rasterize or drop content; check the output.

Last updated:

Call this from code

Every tool on this site is a plain REST endpoint - no account or API key needed for anonymous use. Built for AI agents and developers as much as for browsers.

curl -X POST "https://pdf123.xyz/api/v1/convert/pdf/pdfa" \
  -F "[email protected]" \
  -F "outputFormat=pdfa" \
  -o output.pdf

Also available as an MCP tool for agent clients that speak Model Context Protocol (JSON-RPC 2.0 over POST /mcp). Full API reference

Use it from an AI agent

Skill

Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other AI agents can run PDF To PDF/A for you with this skill: /skills/pdf123-pdf-to-pdfa.md

All agent skills

Files are used only for this processing job and deleted automatically afterward.