Is the output a valid PDF/A file?

Not necessarily. The tool only adds the PDF/A-1b claim to the metadata. Validity also depends on embedded fonts, color profiles and no transparency, which are not changed. Check the output with a PDF/A validator before archiving it.

What does the PDF to PDF/A step actually change in my file?

It replaces the file's XMP metadata packet with one that declares PDF/A part 1, conformance B, then saves the document with unused objects removed and streams compressed. Page content, including text, is not edited.

Why would a strict validator reject my PDF/A result?

A declaration does not make the content comply. If the PDF uses fonts that are not embedded, has no color profile or uses transparency, a validator can still report errors even though the metadata says PDF/A-1b.

Is my PDF uploaded, and how long is the result kept?

Yes, the PDF goes to our server because the rewriting runs there. The result is stored for a limited time, 24 hours for a guest, so you can sign in and download it, and is then deleted.

Add PDF/A Metadata

Add the PDF/A-1b declaration to a PDF's metadata (not a validated conversion).

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About Add PDF/A Metadata

Archives and portals sometimes ask for PDF/A, and this tool does one specific part of that job: it writes the PDF/A-1b identification into the file's XMP metadata and saves a rewritten copy. It does not convert fonts, color profiles or transparency, so the result is not a validated PDF/A document and a strict validator may reject it. Use it where a metadata declaration is what gets checked, and validate the output before relying on it for records.

Features

Writes the PDF/A part and conformance level B declaration into the XMP metadata
Pages and text stay as they were, and the file is rewritten with unused objects removed and streams compressed
A warning on the page states that the output is not a validated PDF/A file

Limitations

Only the declaration is added: fonts, color profiles and other content are not converted, so a strict validator may reject the file.
Any XMP metadata already in the PDF is replaced by the declaration packet.
Files can be up to 50 MB and are uploaded to our server; password-protected PDFs are refused until unlocked.
Downloading the result needs a free account.

How it works

Drop a PDF onto the upload area, or browse for it.
Wait while the server works. Processing starts as soon as the file is chosen, and a message reads Adding PDF/A metadata.
Read the warning that appears when the file is ready. It says the output is not a validated PDF/A file.
Select Download to save the copy, named after your PDF with pdfa-metadata added.

Frequently asked questions

: Not necessarily. The tool only adds the PDF/A-1b claim to the metadata. Validity also depends on embedded fonts, color profiles and no transparency, which are not changed. Check the output with a PDF/A validator before archiving it.
: It replaces the file's XMP metadata packet with one that declares PDF/A part 1, conformance B, then saves the document with unused objects removed and streams compressed. Page content, including text, is not edited.
: A declaration does not make the content comply. If the PDF uses fonts that are not embedded, has no color profile or uses transparency, a validator can still report errors even though the metadata says PDF/A-1b.
: Yes, the PDF goes to our server because the rewriting runs there. The result is stored for a limited time, 24 hours for a guest, so you can sign in and download it, and is then deleted.