My PDF says nothing was detected, but I exported it from Word as PDF/A.

The XMP metadata may have been stripped during a subsequent edit. Open the PDF in a hex-aware tool to confirm /pdfaid:part is present in the metadata stream. If absent, re-export from the source.

PDF/A Version Detector

Read a PDF's metadata to identify which PDF/A part and conformance level it claims (1a, 1b, 2a/2b/2u, 3a/3b/3u) — and whether it claims any at all.

Your files never leave your browser. All processing happens on your device — nothing is uploaded.

1. Upload your file

Drop a PDF file here

or click to browse

How does the PDF/A Version Detector work?

Read the XMP metadata stream of a PDF and identify the declared PDF/A part and conformance level. PDF/A-1 (ISO 19005-1) is the original archive standard; PDF/A-2 (ISO 19005-2) added compression and JPEG2000; PDF/A-3 (ISO 19005-3) allows arbitrary embedded files (typical use: archived form with attached source spreadsheet). Each part has conformance levels: A (accessible — tags + Unicode + structure), B (basic — visual reproduction only), and U (PDF/A-2/3 only — Unicode but no tagging). The tool reports the declared part-and-level and explains what it guarantees.

🔒 Security & Privacy

All processing happens on your device. Your files never leave your browser, never touch our servers, and are not stored anywhere. Close the tab and the file is gone.

📱 Use it on any device

Works in any modern browser — Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android, and tablets. No installation, no app to download. Just open the page and start.

⚡ Quick & easy

Drag, drop, click. Most files process in seconds, not minutes. No watermarks added to your output, no per-day limits, and the tool always shows the result before asking you to download.

🎁 Always free, no signup

Free to use, every time. No account creation, no email required, no “trial” that converts to a paid plan. We make money from ads so you don’t have to pay.

Frequently asked

Validate Compliance attempts a full conformance check. This tool is much lighter — it just reads the declared version from metadata, no validation. Useful for triage: figuring out which PDF/A flavour you're dealing with before deciding whether to validate.