PDF/A Checker
Heuristic PDF/A compliance check — flags encryption, missing fonts, JavaScript, XFA forms and more before you archive.
Quick answer: Drop a PDF and we run eight quick checks (encryption, XMP metadata, embedded fonts, JavaScript, XFA forms, attachments, title, version) plus parse the XMP packet to detect any declared PDF/A part. You get a pass/warn/fail badge per check and an overall verdict — all locally.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is this a real PDF/A validator?
- No — it's a heuristic that catches the most common reasons a PDF would fail PDF/A. For certified compliance use veraPDF or Adobe Preflight; for a quick sanity check before archiving, this is much faster.
- What does PDF/A even mean?
- PDF/A (ISO 19005) is a flavour of PDF designed for long-term archiving. It bans things that depend on external resources (system fonts, JavaScript, encryption) so the file looks identical decades from now.
- What checks does it run?
- Eight: encryption (forbidden), XMP metadata (required), document title (recommended), all fonts embedded (required), no JavaScript actions, no XFA dynamic forms, embedded files only allowed in PDF/A-3, and PDF version 1.4–1.7.
- Why does it say 'declared: PDF/A-2B'?
- We found a pdfaid:part=2, pdfaid:conformance=B claim inside the XMP metadata. It means the producer software claims PDF/A-2B compliance — but you still need to validate that the claim holds. That's why we run the other checks anyway.
- What's the difference between PDF/A-1, 2 and 3?
- PDF/A-1 is based on PDF 1.4, no transparency, no embedded files. PDF/A-2 (PDF 1.7) adds JPEG2000, transparency and digital signatures. PDF/A-3 is the only part that allows arbitrary embedded files (e.g. an Excel source attached to its PDF report).
- Why does it warn about missing title?
- PDF/A-2A and PDF/A-3A (the 'A' = Accessible) require a /Title entry. PDF/A-2B is more lenient. Strictly archive-grade PDFs should always set a meaningful title.
- Why does it sometimes say 'no fonts seen'?
- If the first 5 pages have no text — typical for scanned PDFs — there are no font references. That's not a PDF/A failure, but it's worth knowing the file is image-only and benefits from PDF OCR for searchability.
- Is my PDF uploaded?
- No — every check runs in the browser using pdf.js plus a local byte-scan of the first 2 MB for XMP markers. The Network tab stays empty.
- What should I do if it says 'fail'?
- Look at which checks failed. Encryption: unlock with Unlock PDF and re-export. JavaScript / XFA: open the source document in a designer and remove them. Missing fonts: re-print to PDF with 'embed all fonts' enabled in Acrobat / Word / LibreOffice.
- Can it convert my PDF to PDF/A?
- No — conversion needs to embed missing fonts, rewrite encryption, etc., which usually requires the source document. Use Acrobat Pro 'Save as PDF/A' or LibreOffice 'Export as PDF → PDF/A-1' to do the conversion, then re-run this checker to verify.