Convert PDF to a visual PDF/A-1b archive
Turn a PDF into a self-contained visual archive. Each page is rendered at your chosen resolution and rebuilt with embedded color information. Review the trade-offs before saving your archival copy.
Archive PDF
Choose your inputs, or load the working example to explore the result. Your files stay on this device.
Supported scope: PDF up to 32 MiB and 100 pages, subject to a 60-million-pixel budget. Image-only PDF/A-1b output: text search, links, layers, forms and signatures are flattened. No OCR or arbitrary-PDF conformance validator.
Source & archival settings
Required fields are marked with an asterisk.
Your visual archive
Review your output, then save it to your device.
Make the next step clear.
Your findings, assumptions and next steps will appear here after you run the check.
Archive PDF · https://pdfarchive.kitforma.com/ · KitForma
Real raster PDF/A-1b construction
Embedded sRGB color profile
Page dimensions and conversion report
Understand the evidence.
Focused guides explain the rules, the edge cases and the checks worth doing before you act.
When a visual PDF/A copy is useful
Choose a raster archive with an informed understanding of text, signatures and preservation.
Read the guide ↗Field guide / 02PDF/A construction and independent validation
Why a format label alone does not demonstrate archival conformance.
Read the guide ↗Field guide / 03Check a converted archive page by page
A practical inspection routine for appearance, dimensions and missing information.
Read the guide ↗Before you start
Is this just a metadata label?
No. Each page becomes a new opaque RGB image; a new PDF 1.4 file contains embedded sRGB color information, PDF/A identification metadata and no external font dependency. The original objects are not copied into the archive.
Can I still search or copy the text?
No. This is an image-only workflow. Keep the original alongside it when searchable text or accessibility is important. No OCR layer or tagged-PDF accessibility claim is made.
Does it validate any existing PDF/A file?
No. It constructs a deliberately narrow PDF/A-1b output. The release test corpus is checked with veraPDF, but individual user files are not sent to that validator. For an institutional deposit, independently validate your downloaded file with the recipient’s required validator and profile.
What happens to digital signatures?
They are not retained as cryptographic signatures. A visible signature appearance may be rendered, but the new file is not signed. Keep the signed original for evidence.
Are all PDF/A profiles available?
The supported output is visual PDF/A-1b only. PDF/A-2, PDF/A-3 attachments, PDF/A-4 and accessible conformance levels are outside this tool’s scope.
Sources & assumptions
Formats, algorithms and supported features are documented below. Check the stated scope and inspect your output before using it.
- veraPDF validation profiles and CLI ↗
The release output corpus is independently checked against the PDF/A-1b profile. This browser does not run veraPDF on each user file.
- ICC sRGB profiles ↗
An unmodified version 2 sRGB profile is embedded in the output intent.
- PDF.js ↗
Local page rendering with self-hosted fonts and CMaps.
Reviewed 2026-10-17. Read our methodology or report an issue.