PaperHeroHow it works
- Choose the PDF/A file or drag it into the box.
- Start the conversion - it takes a moment.
- Download the ordinary PDF. The tool tells you which PDF/A variant the file had before.
- Carry on if you like: the file can now be protected, signed or watermarked.
What PDF/A is - and why it sometimes gets in the way
PDF/A is a variant of PDF made for long-term archiving: fonts are embedded, colours are pinned down, and anything that could change later is ruled out - so the document still looks the same in twenty years. Scanners and accounting software therefore often save as PDF/A, many office programs offer it on export, and for ZUGFeRD or Factur-X electronic invoices it is mandatory.
That very strictness sometimes gets in the way. PDF/A does not allow encryption, which is why our password-protect tool rejects a PDF/A file with an error. Some programs also limit how far a PDF/A document can be edited, annotated or filled in as a form. If you want to protect, change or process the file, you need an ordinary PDF.
What the conversion changes - and what it does not
The tool removes the marking that identifies the file as PDF/A. Nothing more: pages, text, images, embedded fonts, bookmarks, form fields and attachments, as well as the document's title and author, are all kept. The document looks exactly the same afterwards but behaves like any other PDF - you can protect it, sign it, add a watermark or keep editing it in whatever program you like.
The conversion runs entirely in your browser. The file is not uploaded and not stored anywhere - close the tab and nothing of it is left. Your original stays untouched on your device; you download a new file.
When you are better off keeping the PDF/A
PDF/A is not a defect, it is a guarantee: authorities, courts and archives often demand the format explicitly, and a ZUGFeRD or Factur-X e-invoice is only compliant as PDF/A. So convert a copy and keep the original for your records. And if all you want is to read, print or forward the file, no conversion is needed at all - every PDF program opens PDF/A just fine.
And where does the finished PDF go?
PaperHero stores it encrypted in Germany, reads the text and finds it again when you need it. 30 days for €1, then €5.99 per month - cancel monthly.
Frequently asked questions
Does the conversion change the content of my file?
No. Pages, text, images, fonts, bookmarks, form fields and attachments are carried over unchanged - the document's title and author stay too. The only thing removed is the marking that identifies the file as PDF/A.
Is my file still valid for archiving or as an e-invoice afterwards?
Not as PDF/A - that is the point of the conversion. If an archive requires PDF/A, keep the original. For an e-invoice (ZUGFeRD, Factur-X) the embedded invoice data stays inside the file, but those formats require PDF/A; whether a recipient still accepts the converted file as an e-invoice depends on their software. So convert an e-invoice for your own use only, and forward the original.
What happens if my file is not PDF/A at all?
The tool tells you so and you get the file back unchanged. If the file still cannot be protected or edited, something else is the cause - a password protection, for instance, which you can lift with remove PDF password.
Can I also turn an ordinary PDF into PDF/A?
Yes, with the reverse tool: PDF to PDF/A checks your file for the most common obstacles and marks it as PDF/A - text and fonts stay intact.
Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion happens entirely in your browser. The file never leaves your device, and once you close the tab nothing of it is left.