mousePDFConvert PDF to PDF/A — without uploading
Convert a PDF into an archive-friendly PDF/A document — with the metadata many authorities and archive systems expect. Runs entirely locally in your browser.
Three simple steps
Open a PDF
Open a PDF by dragging it into the browser.
Export as PDF/A
Choose the PDF/A option from the export menu — archive-friendly metadata is set automatically.
Save
Download the finished PDF/A document — no upload, no watermark.
Typical case: meeting archiving requirements
Many authorities, courts, and corporate archives require documents in PDF/A format so they remain readable and faithful to the original for years to come. mousePDF sets the necessary metadata directly on export — without the file ever leaving a server, because there is none.
What PDF/A is actually for
PDF/A is the archival flavour of the PDF format. The idea behind it: a file should look the same in twenty years as it does today — even once the typeface it used has long disappeared and no program remembers what it looked like.
That is achieved by moving everything necessary into the file itself: fonts are embedded rather than assumed, external references are dropped, and the file stays unencrypted so that a lost password cannot render it unreadable.
It is usually required by public authorities, courts and archives, and wherever long retention periods apply — the specification then says “PDF/A”, often with a level such as PDF/A-2b after it.
What you get here — and what you explicitly don't
The editor builds the file according to the principles of PDF/A: fonts embedded, archival metadata (XMP) written, no encryption.
And now the part others leave out: the file does not claim conformance. Its metadata deliberately carries no PDF/A level. That is not an omission but a decision — such a claim would be a guarantee, and only a real check with a validator like veraPDF could back it up. No such check happens here.
In practice: if an authority demands a certified, validated PDF/A file, this is not the right route — you need a tool that issues a validation report. If you keep your own archive and want your documents readable in ten years' time, this gives you exactly that, with no upload and no account.
Equally openly: an ICC output intent, which stricter PDF/A levels require, is currently missing. Anyone who needs it exactly right should know that.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded for the conversion? +
No. The conversion, including metadata, happens entirely in the browser.
Is the result a certified PDF/A document? +
No. mousePDF sets archive-friendly metadata but doesn't perform formal PDF/A certification or validation. For legally binding requirements, check whether you need a certified solution.
Does the conversion change my document's content? +
No, text, images, and layout are preserved — only the metadata is added.
Is this free? +
Yes, the conversion is free and requires no account.
Is the result certified PDF/A? +
No, and we say so explicitly. The file is built according to PDF/A principles but claims no conformance level in its metadata — that would require a real check with a validator, which does not happen here.
When is this enough, and when isn't it? +
For your own long-term archive it works well: embedded fonts, archival metadata, no encryption. If an authority requires a validated PDF/A file with a report, you need a certifying tool.
Why does the file get bigger? +
Because the fonts are embedded in full instead of being assumed present on the target device. That is precisely what makes the file self-sufficient later — it is the point of the format.
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