How to Convert PDF to PDF/A

Technology is constantly evolving, but with that comes obsoletion by evolution. This can apply to PDF document formats, layouts, fonts, and much more.

Preserving these documents with a PDF/A converter can properly archive and validate your content at the conformance level you need. This preserves your content, keeping your documents secure and safe, no matter when they’re viewed in the future.

With Xodo, you can convert PDFs and so much more for free. This tutorial will explain how to use our PDF/A converter for archiving important PDF documents.

Convert and validate PDFs to PDF/A in a flash

Using the free online PDF to PDF/A conversion tool is easy, just follow the steps below — And while you’re at it, check out our entire cross-platform suite of document tools.

To convert PDF to PDF/A, follow these steps:

1. Go to the free PDF to PDF/A converter.

2. Upload your PDF either from your device, Xodo Drive, or Google Drive, and Dropbox.

3. Once you’ve uploaded your document, you have two options. You can Convert your PDF to PDF/A or Convert and Validate to ensure your PDF/A is compliant with current PDF/A standards. Here you can also choose a conformance level (more on that in the next section).

4. Once your file is ready, click on the Download button to save your archived PDF/A file to your device.

Note that our tools use secure processing, ensuring that you and your document are safe.

More PDF to PDF/A conversion features

If you’re not familiar with the layout of the PDF to PDF/A conversion page, we want to help you find your way around to better familiarize yourself with all the flexible options you have when using the tool.

Conformance levels explained

PDF/A comes in many different possible variants, created by mixing different PDF/A standards and conformance levels.

Each PDF/A standard defines the set of available features and image compression technologies that help with the preservation of the content of a file.

In turn, each PDF/A standard supports different conformance levels (a & b for PDF/A-1; and a, b & u for PDF/A-2 and -3).

These conformance levels control the “accessibility” requirements of a file that impact the ability of machines and people to understand the content.

If you’re interested in brushing up on your PDF/A taxonomy, be sure to check out this article on different versions of PDF/A. 

Select and upload your file

You can upload your PDF files to convert you can select a file from your device, Google Drive, Dropbox, or even from Xodo Drive.

View and check your PDF files

Once you’ve uploaded your file, you can view the file using the icon seen in the image below.

You can then view your PDF as needed, customizing how you view your file with available PDF viewing options:

Save archived PDFs on the cloud

When converting files using our PDF to PDF/A converter, you can choose to download the converted archived document to your device, Xodo Drive, or Google Drive by selecting the Download option.

PDF to PDF/A conversion is just the beginning with Xodo

Our free PDF to PDF/A tool was designed with you, the user, in mind to make sure your documents are compliant and future-proof.

You can use Xodo online on desktop and mobile using your Windows, Mac, iOS, or Android device. Our suite of more than 30 PDF tools will enable you to edit, annotate, sign, and share PDFs all in one place.

Join Xodo and start using our tools now for free, or try out more capabilities with our 7-day Xodo Pro free trial and get access to even more tools you can integrate into your document processing routine.