PDF/A Checker

The PDF/A Checker tests 11 requirements that most often make a PDF fail PDF/A validation, such as the PDF/A declaration, embedded fonts, the color profile and encryption. It is a pre-check, not a certified validation: use veraPDF when you need proof of conformance.

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Check whether a PDF meets archival requirements

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Check a PDF as a guest with no account, no watermark and no install.

Explains every failure

Each problem comes with a short reason and the quickest way to fix it, not just a rule number.

Knows PDF/A-1, 2, 3 and 4

Part-dependent rules, such as transparency and attachments, are checked against the part your file declares.

Your PDF is never changed

The checker only reads the file. Your original stays exactly as it was.

Honest about what it is

It is a pre-check, not a certified validation, and it points you to veraPDF when you need proof.

Check, convert, check again

If the file fails, convert it with PDF to PDF/A and run the new file through the checker.

How to check a PDF for PDF/A

Press "Choose Files" and select the PDF you want to check, or drag and drop it.
Press Check PDF/A. The file is read, never changed.
Read the report: it shows the PDF/A part the file declares and marks each check Pass, Fail, Warning or Not applicable.
Fix what failed, or convert the file with PDF to PDF/A, then check again and validate with veraPDF if you need proof.

PDF/A Checker input and output details

Accepted input

PDF

Free file size

50 MB

Typical processing

a few seconds

What is preserved

Your PDF is only read, never modified
Your original file stays exactly as it was
No watermark or branding added to your document

What changes

You get a report, not a new PDF
The declared PDF/A part and level are shown
Each check marked Pass, Fail, Warning or Not applicable
Every failure comes with a way to fix it

Useful for

Check a filing before uploading it to a court e-filing portalConfirm a converted file declares PDF/A and embeds its fontsFind out why a records system rejected a PDFSpot encryption or JavaScript before archivingCheck invoices and statements before long-term storageDecide whether a file needs PDF/A-2 or PDF/A-3

Before starting PDF/A Checker

This is a pre-check of the most common PDF/A failures, not a certified validation against every rule in ISO 19005. When you need proof of conformance, validate the file with veraPDF.

What a PDF/A Pre-Check Tells You Before You Submit a File

The checker tests the PDF/A requirements that most often cause a file to fail, explains each failure, and is clear that formal proof of conformance needs a full validator such as veraPDF.

A pre-check, not a validation

PDF/A is the ISO 19005 family of standards for PDFs that must stay readable for decades. A PDF/A file has to carry everything it needs inside itself: fonts, a color profile, metadata that declares which part of the standard it follows, and nothing that could change or break over time, such as encryption, JavaScript or embedded video. If you are new to the format, what PDF/A is and when you are required to use it is the place to start.

This checker reads your PDF and tests 11 of the requirements that most often make a file fail. It tells you which part of PDF/A the file claims to follow, what failed, and how to fix it. It does not change your file, and it is not a certified validation. The standard has hundreds of detailed rules, and only a full validator tests them all. When an archive, court or auditor needs proof, validate the file with veraPDF, the free and open-source reference validator.

What gets checked

pre-checks

A-1 to A-4

parts recognized

changes made to your PDF

PDF/A declaration. Whether the XMP metadata declares a PDF/A part and conformance level, such as PDF/A-2b. A file that does not declare it is treated as a regular PDF by every validator.
Encryption. PDF/A allows no encryption at all, including permission restrictions on files that open without a password.
Color profile. An output intent with an embedded ICC profile, which PDF/A needs whenever a file uses device colors.
Embedded fonts. Every font has to be inside the file, including the common ones.
Scripts, actions and media. JavaScript, launch actions, audio, video and 3D content are not allowed.
Annotations. Comments and form fields must print and have a fixed appearance.
Transparency and attachments. Checked against the part the file declares: PDF/A-1 forbids transparency and attachments, PDF/A-2 allows transparency and PDF/A attachments, PDF/A-3 allows any attachment.
Document ID and metadata. A document ID in the file trailer, and matching values in the Info dictionary and the XMP metadata.

Fixing a file that fails

The quickest fix for most failures is to convert the file: PDF to PDF/A embeds fonts, adds a color profile and writes the PDF/A metadata. Run the result through this checker again, because conversion cannot fix everything; a font whose license forbids embedding, for example, has to be changed in the source. Encrypted files need their restrictions removed first with Unlock PDF.

The step-by-step guide to converting a regular PDF to PDF/A covers the choice between PDF/A-1, 2 and 3. If the document will also be published, the PDF Accessibility Checker tests the other half of a long-lived document: whether people using screen readers can read it.

PDF/A Checker vs veraPDF (reference validator)

veraPDF is the free, open-source PDF/A validator developed by the Open Preservation Foundation and the PDF Association. It tests every rule in the standard; this checker is a faster, plain-English pre-check of the most common failures.

Dimension	PDF/A Checker	veraPDF (reference validator)
Rule coverage	11 most common failure points	Every rule in ISO 19005
Install needed	Runs in any browser	Desktop app or command line
Results	Plain-English fixes per check	Technical rule-by-rule report
Proof of conformance	No, a pre-check only	Yes, widely accepted
Cost	Free	Free, open source

Document jobs suited to PDF/A Checker

Paralegal

Checks exhibits and briefs before uploading them to a court e-filing system that rejects files that are not PDF/A.

Records manager

Pre-checks documents before they enter the long-term archive, and sends failures back for conversion.

Archivist

Triages incoming digital donations to see which files already declare PDF/A and which need converting.

Accounts payable clerk

Confirms that invoices kept for statutory retention embed their fonts and carry no encryption.

Thesis coordinator

Checks that a graduate's final thesis PDF meets the library repository's PDF/A deposit requirement before submission.

Compliance officer

Spot-checks reports archived by a document system to confirm they really are PDF/A and were not edited afterwards.

Better results from PDF/A Checker

The file fails "Declares PDF/A in its metadata"

Why it happens The PDF was saved as a regular PDF, so it has no PDF/A identification in its XMP metadata.

Fix Convert it with PDF to PDF/A, which writes the declaration, color profile and metadata, then check the new file. PDF to PDF/A →

The file is encrypted or asks for a password

Why it happens PDF/A does not allow any encryption, including permission restrictions on files that open without a password.

Fix Remove the password or restrictions from a file you own, then convert the unlocked copy to PDF/A. Unlock PDF →

The checker says the file could not be read

Why it happens The PDF is damaged or incomplete, for example cut short during a download.

Fix Repair the file first, then check the repaired copy. Repair PDF →

Answers about PDF/A Checker before you begin

Is the PDF/A Checker free?

Yes. It is free to use without an account, within the same guest limits as the other free PDFBEAR tools.

Is this a certified PDF/A validation?

No. It is a pre-check of the requirements that most often cause a file to fail. For proof of conformance, validate the file with veraPDF, the reference validator that most archives accept.

Which PDF/A versions does it recognize?

It reads the declaration for PDF/A-1, 2, 3 and 4 and adjusts the part-dependent checks, such as transparency and attachments, to the part the file claims.

My file says it is PDF/A. Why does it fail?

The declaration is only a claim written into the metadata. A file can declare PDF/A and still have unembedded fonts, encryption or a missing color profile, often because it was edited after conversion.

Does the checker change my PDF?

No. It only reads the file and gives you a report. To fix a failing file, convert it with PDF to PDF/A and check the new file again.

What do I get at the end?

An on-screen report with each check marked Pass, Fail, Warning or Not applicable, a short explanation and a fix, plus a plain-text copy to download or share.

Can it check password-protected PDFs?

It reports that the file is encrypted, which PDF/A never allows, but it cannot run the other checks until the password is removed.

Is my file kept private?

Your PDF is uploaded over HTTPS and is only read by the checker. Guest result links expire after 24 hours; with a free account, results stay in your file manager for 30 days after your last activity and you can delete them at any time.

When this tool is the right choice

Use the PDF/A Checker to see, before you submit a file, whether it declares PDF/A and avoids the problems that most often fail validation: missing color profile, unembedded fonts, encryption, JavaScript, embedded media and mismatched metadata.

Best for

Checking a file before sending it to a court e-filing system, archive or records office.
Confirming that a file you converted actually declares PDF/A and embeds its fonts.
Finding out why a portal rejected a PDF that was supposed to be PDF/A.

Not best for

Certified validation; use veraPDF when you need proof of conformance.
Converting the file; use PDF to PDF/A for that.
Checking accessibility; use the PDF Accessibility Checker.

Useful next steps

Convert to PDF/A Remove encryption Check accessibility

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