Illustration showing PDF/A documents and archive icon

Convert and validate PDF/A documents in your web applications

Ensure long-term document preservation with ISO-compliant PDF/A conversion and validation. DocuVieware converts 100+ document and image formats to all PDF/A versions (PDF/A-1, PDF/A-2, PDF/A-3, PDF/A-4), validates compliance, and embeds archival-grade properties directly in your web applications.

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What is PDF/A?

PDF/A is the ISO-standard format for long-term digital archiving. Established in 2005, it ensures documents remain readable and displayable for decades into the future — regardless of software, hardware, or operating system changes.

Unlike regular PDFs, PDF/A files are self-contained, with all fonts, colors, and images embedded, guaranteeing reliable reproduction.

Four PDF/A versions exist, each building on newer PDF specifications.

Illustration showing PDF/A documents and compliance icons

PDF/A-1

ISO 19005-1:2005 — based on PDF 1.4

Two conformance levels:

PDF/A-1a (“accessible”) — Includes document structure, tags, and accessibility features for assistive technologies
PDF/A-1b (“basic”) — Ensures visual reproduction only; minimal metadata

PDF/A-2

ISO 19005-2:2011 — based on PDF 1.7

Three conformance levels: PDF/A-2a, PDF/A-2b, and PDF/A-2u.

Key improvements:

Support for transparency and layers (optional content)
JPEG2000 compression
Embedding PDF/A files within PDF/A files (portfolio archiving)
PDF/A-2u (“Unicode”) — Requires Unicode text mapping for enhanced searchability

PDF/A-3

ISO 19005-3:2012 — based on PDF 1.7

Three conformance levels: PDF/A-3a, PDF/A-3b, and PDF/A-3u.

Game-changing feature: Enables embedding arbitrary file formats (XML, CSV, CAD files, Word documents, spreadsheets, and more) into PDF/A documents, in turn enabling hybrid archival workflows.

PDF/A-4

ISO 19005-4:2020 — based on PDF 2.0

Four conformance levels: a, b, u, and the new f-level.

Latest capabilities:

PDF/A-4f — Supports any file format embedding
Replaces PDF/E (ISO 24517-1) with enhanced engineering document support
RichMedia annotations for 3D models and video (multiple formats)
Embedded files with full preservation

PDF/A core requirements

Fonts

All fonts must be embedded to ensure consistent rendering across any system, now and in the future.

Colors

Colors must use device-independent, calibrated color profiles (ICC profiles) to guarantee accurate reproduction.

Encryption

Encryption and password protection are prohibited — archival documents must remain openly accessible.

Metadata

All metadata must conform to the Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) specification for standardized information storage.

Actions

Interactive elements (JavaScript, launch, sound, movie actions) are forbidden to ensure static, preservable content.

CUSTOMERS

Who needs PDF/A archiving?

Any organization with long-term document retention requirements benefits from PDF/A compliance. Our customers span industries where regulatory compliance, legal preservation, and permanent record-keeping are mission-critical.

Finance

Government

Healthcare

Legal

Education

Complete PDF/A conversion and validation

Convert any document to ISO-compliant PDF/A and validate conformance automatically. Our native PDF/A engine supports all standards (PDF/A-1 through A-4), multiple conversion methods, and industry-standard validation tools — ensuring bulletproof archival compliance with detailed reporting and automated conformance detection.

Illustration showing PDF/A conversion process with Annual Report documents

Format conversion

Convert 100+ file formats to fully compliant PDF/A documents with our native conversion engine — no external dependencies.

Flexible conversion methods

Choose the optimal approach for each document: direct modification, vectorization, or rasterization.

Full standards support

Complete compliance with all PDF/A sub-standards: PDF/A-1, A-2, A-3, and A-4 (ISO 19005 series).

Conformance validation

Automatically detect claimed conformance levels and validate documents with integrated verification tools.

Industry verification

Pass validation with veraPDF and Adobe Acrobat Preflight — the gold standards for PDF/A compliance assurance.

Detailed reporting

Generate instant validation results or comprehensive machine-readable XML reports analyzing structure, metadata, fonts, color spaces, and more.

DEMO

Test PDF/A conversion and validation in your browser

Experience our powerful PDF/A engines firsthand. Upload your own documents and see how easy it is to convert to archival-compliant formats and validate conformance.

PDF/A conversion engine

PDF/A validation engine

VIEWER

Embed a PDF viewer with flexible deployment and full control

Explore all features

Web scanning

Capture documents directly from TWAIN scanning devices and process them in your web application — no plugins required.

Redaction

Permanently remove personal information and sensitive data from electronic documents before archiving.

Annotations

Add markup, comments, and collaboration tools to electronic documents in your HTML5 viewer — all in real time.

Digital signatures

Add cryptographic signing with certificate-based authentication for legally binding, tamper-proof documents.

Integration

Deploy DocuVieware into your existing web infrastructure. Our SDK supports all major frameworks and technologies.

ASP.NET Web Forms, ASP.NET MVC Razor, ASP.NET Core
Other web technologies: Angular, AngularJS, Node.js, Blazor, React, Java, PHP, JavaScript/jQuery, SharePoint

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