You've probably seen PDF/A mentioned in legal or archival contexts. But what exactly is it, and should you care?
Regular PDF: the everyday format
A standard PDF can contain just about anything — fonts, JavaScript, embedded videos, 3D models, form fields, digital signatures. It's flexible, powerful, and the default choice for most documents.
PDF/A: the archival format
PDF/A is a restricted subset of PDF designed for long-term preservation. It strips out anything that might not work in 50 years:
- No external font references — all fonts must be embedded
- No JavaScript or executable content
- No encryption or password protection
- No audio/video streams
- Color profiles must be embedded
When to use PDF/A
- Legal filings — many courts now require PDF/A for electronic submissions
- Government archives — official records need guaranteed long-term readability
- Financial records — audit trails that must be preserved unchanged
- Evidence bundles — ensuring documents can't contain hidden executable content
How DocInspector helps
DocInspector can flatten any PDF into a hardened, image-based format — effectively creating documents that are even more restrictive than PDF/A. This is especially useful for evidence bundles where you need to guarantee the document contains exactly what you see and nothing more.