Support & Learning

What is the PDF/A format?

The PDF/A format standard is defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and is designed for long-term archiving and retention purposes, with strict requirements and regulations, such as prohibiting the use of certain fonts, limiting file size and image compression, so editing and modification are not allowed. This ensures the reliability and stability of the document, so that it can still provide consistent and readable information decades later.

When you open a PDF/A document in the program, the menu bar editing function is grayed out, and a column of document information will be displayed at the top of the document, reminding you that the document is [Read Only]. At this time, you cannot edit the document (such as adding text, annotations, OCR, compression, etc.)

If you need to edit the document, please click [Enable Editing], and the program will pop up a window to remind you that the document will no longer comply with the PDF/A standard. After clicking [OK], the editing area of ​​the menu bar lights up, and you can edit the document normally. The document saved after editing will no longer be in PDF/A format.

If you need to keep the document in PDF/A format, please use the [Convert] function to convert the document to PDF/A format again.

Was This Helpful?

Need More Help?

Explore additional support options if you can’t find
what you’re looking for.

Account Center

Sign in with Wondershare ID to get invoice, redeem
serial number, cancel subscription, etc.

Contact us

Can’t find the answers you’re looking for? We’re
here to help.