
Discover what PDF/A is, when and why it is used, and the different formats for long-term archival. Also, find out how to create and edit a PDF/A.



PDF/A is a standardized version of the PDF designed for long-term archival. Unlike regular PDFs, PDF/A ensures your documents remain accessible for decades, making it crucial for legal compliance.

This article covers everything you need to know about PDF/A, from different formats to practical applications in legal, government, and document storage settings.

designed for long-term digital recordkeeping. It ensures that 

documents continue to display consistently

, regardless of the software, hardware, or operating system.

The “A” in PDF/A stands for “Archive,” and refers to its purpose of 

. It works by embedding all the necessary components in a document and restricting features that may not be reliably rendered or preserved over time, such as multimedia.

 because it preserves the quality of image-based content. To make these scans searchable, you can apply OCR (Optical Character Recognition). This added feature turns images of text into actual text without affecting the file’s compliance with PDF/A standards.

Here’s a detailed overview of when and why to use the PDF/A format:

Legal files generally serve as evidence in proceedings, audits, and compliance reviews, so they must remain unchanged over time. PDF/A helps ensure this by preserving the files’ visual fidelity.

Many federal and state agencies around the world use PDF/A for certain categories of permanent records to ensure compliance with retention requirements. For example, all Danish government bodies have been required to save non-editable documents in 

Publishing scientific and academic work. 

To make sure citations, references, and formatting in papers remain accessible to future researchers, publishers often choose PDF/A. It preserves layout, figures, fonts, and metadata, ensuring papers display consistently over time.

Preserving business contracts and records.

 Typically, these have legal, financial, and operational significance and may need to be accessed years later during audits, disputes, or regulatory checks. PDF/A guarantees they remain as they were originally created, unaltered, and complete.

: All fonts, images, color profiles, and metadata are embedded within the document. This ensures the file can be opened and viewed exactly as intended, even years later, without relying on external resources.

: PDF/A prohibits elements like audio, video, and 

 to maintain long-term reliability. By limiting the file to static content, it reduces the risk of compatibility issues and helps preserve the document’s integrity over time.

: PDF/A makes sure that the layout, fonts, colors, and overall appearance of a document remain the same, no matter which system or software is used to open it. This is crucial for preventing misinterpretation and issues like 

, which sets clear guidelines for archiving electronic documents. By following the ISO standard, PDF/A is a trusted format for governments, legal institutions, businesses, and archives around the world.

What’s the Difference Between PDF and PDF/A File Format?

PDF and PDF/A file formats differ in terms of 

Here is a detailed breakdown of regular PDF vs. PDF/A :

Based on PDF 1.4, PDF/A-1 is the original archival standard introduced in 2005. It provides basic archival features with two conformance levels:

 The ‘a’ stands for ‘accessible’; it ensures full text accessibility.

The ‘b’ stands for ‘basic’; it focuses on preserving a document’s visual appearance, but it excludes transparency, layers, and advanced graphics features.

This document retention format is based on PDF 1.7 and was released in 2011. It has 

 transparency effects for graphical elements

Additionally, PDF/A-2 allows for PDF/A-compliant file attachments, PDF packages, and complex portable collections.

The ‘a’ stands for ‘accessible’; it provides full accessibility features and structural tagging.

The ‘b’ stands for ‘basic’; it ensures visual reproduction but does not preserve the document’s structural or semantic elements.

The ‘u’ stands for ‘Unicode’; it guarantees that all text has Unicode mapping for reliable text extraction.

Released in 2012, PDF/A-3 includes all PDF/A-2 features plus the ability to 

embed any file format within the PDF/A document

. This flexibility allows organizations to include source files, spreadsheets, or other supporting documents while maintaining PDF/A compliance. As with PDF/A-2, PDF/A-3 has three levels of conformance: 

Unlike previous PDF/A standard versions, 

PDF/A-4 allows certain interactive features

. However, JavaScript must be stored as embedded data and cannot run automatically.

Sound, screen, and movie annotations are not allowed in PDF/A-4, and 3D and rich media annotations are only allowed in a specific profile called PDF/A-4e, which is designed for engineering documents.

PDF/A-4 does not use the A, B, or U conformance levels

. Previous versions used these levels to define accessibility and text recovery standards. Instead, PDF/A-4 encourages the use of 

To create a PDF/A file, you can use PDF software, convert existing PDFs, export from MS Word or other apps with “Save as PDF/A,” or use an online PDF/A converter.

 Programs like Adobe Acrobat, PDF24, and Foxit include built-in options to create or convert documents to PDF/A. These tools often come with validation features to ensure compliance with the appropriate PDF/A standard.

You can convert a PDF to PDF/A by using supported PDF software. Most tools offer conversion settings that let you choose the PDF/A conformance level (e.g., PDF/A-1b or PDF/A-2u) during the export process.

Many programs, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, include a “Save as PDF/A” under their export settings. You can conveniently generate compliant files directly from your source documents this way.

There are various online PDF tools that convert standard PDFs to PDF/A format. These can be useful for quick conversions, though they may offer limited customization or validation.

; some may prompt you to temporarily disable PDF/A mode before making changes. After editing, you must 

 to ensure it still meets PDF/A requirements.

Here are some editors and how they compare:

to PDF/A. Just make sure to check if the 

; usually, professional PDF software displays detailed error reports with suggested fixes and page numbers.

You can open a PDF/A file in Microsoft Word through the 

 dialog and convert the file into an editable Word format. After editing, use the “

However, keep in mind that the conversion process can lead to formatting inconsistencies, font substitutions, and loss of precise positioning. You will need to spend time reformatting, especially if your file contains 

If you want to edit your PDF after converting it from the PDF/A format, use PDF.net. This handy browser-based tool will provide you with a 

Furthermore, if you want to compress the document without losing quality, that’s possible with PDF.net as well.

Also, your information is protected every step of the way; PDF.net uses encrypted connections. Whether you are handling PDF contracts, reports, or academic papers, you can securely prepare and polish your documents before converting them.

A PDF/A is a subset of the PDF format that complies with the ISO 19005 standard for archiving electronic documents. It is commonly used for storing legal, government, academic, and business files that must remain accessible over time.

With four PDF/A standard versions, each building on the last, it offers increasing support for modern workflows. Creating a PDF/A file is straightforward with professional PDF tools, MS Word or other software that supports PDF/A export, and online converters.

 as a regular PDF; it is a specialized subset of PDF specifically designed for archival purposes. A PDF/A file is self-contained with embedded resources for long-term accessibility.

#2. Can I open a PDF/A with a regular PDF reader?

open a PDF/A file with a regular PDF reader, including browser-based ones. This document retention format maintains backwards compatibility, so the file can be accessed across different platforms and devices.

 when it contains text; this format preserves text data and metadata, allowing you to search within the file using standard search functionality.

 edit a PDF/A, but editing often requires converting the file or using advanced tools. PDF/A is designed for preservation, not modification; therefore, edits must be made carefully to maintain compliance.

#5. What does “PDF/A compliant” mean?

It means that a PDF file meets the technical and structural requirements set out in the

 for long-term archival. A PDF/A-compliant file is 

Discover what PDF/A is, when and why it is used, and the different formats for long-term archival. Also, find out how to create and edit a PDF/A.

What Is PDF/A? Definition, Uses, and How to Create These Files

Find out how to convert your PDFs to high-quality JPG images. Transform documents into shareable image files without losing quality.

To convert a PDF to JPG in just a few clicks, upload your file to PDF.net, find and select the PDF to JPG conversion, apply this feature, and download your JPG file.

 on platforms that support image formats only. For instance, this type of file is suitable for embedding, as some formats may not accept PDFs but can be compatible with the same file in the JPG format.

, we are here to show you why PDF.net is the best solution for fast and high-quality conversion and how to use our tool for maximum efficiency.

PDF to JPG conversion creates an image file that is 

compatible with many image readers and editors

, allowing you to modify your document according to your preferences.

Changing a PDF to the JPG format makes your document smaller, enhances sharing opportunities, and excludes the need for compression tools you would use if your file is too big.

You can use PDF.net to convert PDFs to JPG; all you should do is upload your document, select the format-changing tool, streamline the conversion within a few clicks, and download your document.

Besides using software to switch from one format to another, you can

 split, merge, annotate, and edit PDF text

 on our website and make your documents shine.

You should convert a PDF to JPG because this format is compatible with various software and platforms and is usually smaller than PDFs, meaning it is easier to use and share.

First, excellent compatibility allows you to upload or send JPG files through different channels (e.g., social media platforms). JPG compatibility is also important because you can edit your files using programs that support JPG but not the PDF format. This way, you can 

 may contain different elements (images, graphs, and non-standard fonts) that can make them oversized. If you find using 

 burdensome, there is a quick and efficient alternative to 

The PDF to JPG converter will create an image file from your PDF document, reducing its size by removing all the elements that make it large, leaving you with a small, easy-to-share file. All this can 

, regardless of what you use JPGs for (business, school projects, etc).

To convert a PDF to JPG with PDF.net, open the 

, upload your PDF to our website, complete the conversion process, and download the converted file.

Our PDF-to-image converter allows you to obtain new file formats 

without compromising quality or formatting

. In addition, the conversion process is fast, even for large files.

You do not need to download any software, just visit our website, where you can streamline this process in several short steps, as follows:

#1. Select the Conversion Tool and Upload your PDF


Once you enter the website, you should hover the cursor over the 

 to select a document from your storage or drag it to the box labeled 

. After this, the upload process will be completed automatically.

As soon as your file has been uploaded, the website will take you to another page, and a new window with different formats (

) will pop up. As the JPG format will be selected by default, you must click 

The last step is to download your converted document. Simply click the 

 button in the upper-right corner to save your file. Due to 

, the download process will be over in seconds, after which you can find and use your JPG file in your default download folder.

One important consideration when using any online tool is security. At PDF.net, we take your privacy seriously, and it’s our goal to process your files safely. Unlike other free converters, which might be unreliable and risky, we prioritize data protection to give you peace of mind while converting your documents.

In addition to changing a PDF file to an image by converting PDFs to JPG, you can convert PDF to PNG, which is another image format. Alternatively, our conversion tool also allows you to turn PDFs into a non-image document format (e.g., converting PDF to Word).

If you want to modify your PDFs in other ways, here are the tools you can use:

. You can add, replace, or remove text easily within the existing PDF fillable forms. Similarly, you can create and add new fillable forms for new text on your document. Lastly, editing font style, size, and color can help you tweak your PDFs for various purposes.

to get information about PDF files. You can ask questions and obtain analyses suitable for business, school projects, and other uses such as marketing programs.

. If you need to enhance your proofing process or draw readers’ attention to specific document parts, you can 

 to your files. Additionally, text markup tools will help you highlight, underscore, and cross words or phrases, which is another helpful way to make certain parts of your file stick out.

. You can improve the readability of your PDFs by rearranging PDF pages that are in random order. Also, you can change the page orientation (upside down, landscape, or portrait mode) by rotating pages, which will help you align your documents and make them neat.

. Splitting PDFs provides you with multiple new files of a smaller size, which helps you reduce unnecessary elements and share them more easily. In case you need your original PDF back, you can use the 

 to combine the files into a single document.

Converting PDFs to JPG can make your documents smaller and compatible with various image editing tools, facilitating their sharing and modification. It is important to choose the right software for this process, as using cheap conversion tools may lower the quality of your files.

Unlike some other unreliable tools, PDF.net allows for fast conversion 

without losing quality or disrupting formatting

. In addition to efficient software for changing format, you can use many other tools for PDF annotation, text editing, splitting, merging, rearranging, and reordering.

#1. What is the best way to convert a PDF to JPG?

The best way to convert a PDF to JPG is to use a PDF.net converter. Our tool lets you change your PDF to JPG quickly 

#2. Will my image quality be reduced after conversion?

No, your image quality will not be reduced after conversion, provided that you use reliable software, such as PDF. This is because we use technologically advanced tools that 

#3. Can I convert multiple pages of a PDF into separate JPG files?

Yes, you can convert multiple pages of a PDF into separate JPG files. To do so, you need to use the 

to single out each PDF page and then convert it to JPG.

#4. Is PDF.net free to use for PDF to JPG conversion?

No, PDF.net is not free to use for PDF to JPG conversion. Still, 

 considering the safety measures and high-conversion quality it offers.

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What Is PDF/A? Definition, Uses, and How to Create These Files

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