Convert a PDF to PDF/A on your phone
Courts, tender portals and archives often accept only PDF/A, the archive version of PDF that looks the same on every computer for years. PDF Maker makes a PDF/A copy on your Android phone and tells you honestly whether it passed its own checks.
These steps are for PDF Maker, our Android app. The app does the work on your phone; this web page does not touch your files.
How to convert a PDF to PDF/A
- Open PDF Maker and tap PDF to PDF/A in the Convert group, then choose the PDF.
- Tap Convert to PDF/A. The app makes the archive copy on the phone.
- Read the result: it says what was changed and whether any archive check still fails.
- Save or share the PDF/A file. Your original stays as it was.
What changes in a PDF/A copy
- Fonts are built into the file, so the text looks the same everywhere. If a font cannot be built in, that page becomes a picture with searchable text under it, and the app tells you how many pages that was.
- Colours are defined with a colour profile inside the file.
- Scripts, attachments and interactive parts are removed, because archive files do not allow them.
- The file is marked as PDF/A-2b (ISO 19005-2, level B: the pages look right).
The honest self-check
After converting, the app checks the copy against the main archive rules. This is a best-effort check on the phone, not a certified validator. If a check still fails, it says so plainly, because a strict validator at a court or a portal could then reject the file. In that case, try converting from the original document instead of a copy of a copy, or ask the sender for an original PDF.
Size limits for e-filing
Built-in fonts can make a PDF/A copy larger than the original. If the portal also has a size limit, check the result. Reducing a PDF/A file with another tool can undo the archive marks, so convert to PDF/A last. PDF to PDF/A has no daily limit and runs on your phone; nothing is uploaded.
Questions
What is PDF/A?
The archive version of PDF (ISO 19005). Fonts and colours are inside the file and scripts are not allowed, so it looks the same everywhere for years.
How do I convert a PDF to PDF/A on my phone?
Open PDF Maker, tap PDF to PDF/A, choose the PDF and tap Convert to PDF/A.
Which PDF/A version does the app make?
PDF/A-2b (part 2, level B: the pages look the same everywhere).
Will my PDF/A pass a validator?
The app checks the main archive rules on the result and tells you plainly if any still fails. It is not a certified validation, so if a portal is strict, test the file there before the deadline.