From Print to Archive: Understanding the Power of PDF Standards

1. The Secret Language of PDFs — And Why It Matters

You’ve probably opened a PDF today without giving it a second thought. It looks polished, holds its formatting, and plays nice across devices — but behind that sleek surface lies a powerful secret: PDF standards.

PDFs aren’t just digital snapshots of documents. In industries like printing, archiving, legal, and design, they’re essential tools that must behave in very specific ways. That’s where PDF standards come in — they act as a set of rules that ensure your files are compatible, consistent, and future-proof.

Ever tried sending a high-res file to a print shop only to have the colors shift or fonts vanish? That’s a formatting fail PDF/X was built to prevent. Archiving legal records for years to come? PDF/A makes sure those files remain readable decades later. Whether you’re sharing a contract, saving a brochure for print, or storing historical documents, there’s likely a PDF flavor tailor-made for your task.

In this article, we’re diving into the world of PDF standards — including PDF/X, PDF/A, PDF/UA, PDF/E, and more. You’ll learn what each one means, when to use them, and how they can save you from last-minute file disasters.

Think of it as learning the dialects of the PDF world — so your documents always say exactly what you want, no matter where they go or how long they’re around.

2. What Are PDF Standards?

What Are PDF Standards?

PDFs are everywhere — from resumes and research papers to engineering blueprints and legal contracts. But not all PDFs are created equal. Some are built for perfect color reproduction on press machines, while others are optimized for long-term digital storage. That’s where PDF standards come in.

Defining PDF Standards

When we say a PDF is “standardized,” we mean that it follows a specific set of rules to ensure consistent behavior — no matter the software, device, or user on the other end. A standardized PDF guarantees that fonts won’t go missing, colors will stay true, and the layout remains locked in place.

Think of PDF standards as pre-set modes designed for different needs. For instance, a print-ready magazine layout needs different qualities than a document meant for archiving. By using a standard tailored to your goal, you ensure that your file performs exactly how it’s supposed to — whether now or years down the road.

The Role of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

Behind every official PDF standard is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) — a global body that defines how technology should work across borders. ISO took over the PDF format from Adobe in 2008, and since then, it has published a series of formal standards like PDF/X, PDF/A, PDF/UA, PDF/E, and PDF/VT.

These standards are internationally recognized and are especially important in industries that rely on reliable file exchange and archiving — like publishing, healthcare, government, and engineering.

ISO also manages standards for other digital formats, such as EPUB for eBooks and OpenDocument for spreadsheets and text documents. These help ensure interoperability between systems and software, which is crucial for businesses and institutions that need documents to behave predictably and consistently.

The Evolution of PDF Standards

The PDF format was first introduced by Adobe in 1993 as a way to maintain formatting regardless of hardware or software. It quickly became a universal file type, but as it spread across industries, unique demands emerged.

That’s when the idea of specialized PDF subsets took off.

PDF/X (created for graphic arts and printing) was one of the first, ensuring colors, images, and fonts were ready for press.
PDF/A followed, designed for archiving documents over decades without relying on external content.
PDF/UA came next, improving accessibility for screen readers and users with disabilities.
PDF/E was developed for engineering and technical documents, allowing for complex layouts and embedded models.
PDF/VT was designed for variable data printing, used in personalized mailers and invoices.

Each standard emerged as a solution to real-world problems — whether it was a printer misinterpreting a file, a legal document becoming unreadable, or a design not rendering correctly on another computer. Over time, as technology advanced and regulations evolved, new standards were introduced to meet modern demands, ensuring that PDFs remain one of the most versatile and dependable document formats in the digital world.

Understanding PDF standards isn’t just for tech nerds — it’s a smart move for anyone who works with files professionally. Knowing the difference between them can mean the difference between a document that prints flawlessly and one that ends up in the recycling bin.

3. PDF/X: The Standard for Print-Ready Documents

PDF/X: The Standard for Print-Ready Documents

When it comes to professional printing, you can’t afford any surprises. Whether it’s a marketing brochure, magazine layout, or large-format poster, your designs need to be printed exactly as you intended, with perfect colors, crisp text, and no image glitches. This is where PDF/X comes into play — the industry standard for preparing print-ready documents.

What is PDF/X?

PDF/X is a subset of the standard PDF format developed specifically for print production. The “X” stands for exchange, emphasizing its role in ensuring smooth, predictable file sharing between graphic designers, printers, and publishers.

PDF/X files have a few key features that make them ideal for printing:

Embedded Fonts: Fonts are packaged with the file itself, so the printer doesn’t need to worry about missing fonts or different text rendering on their end.
Color Profiles: PDF/X files contain detailed color information, ensuring the colors you see on-screen match the colors printed on paper. These profiles tell the printer how to interpret color data based on their specific equipment and processes.
High Resolution: The standard ensures that images and graphics are high-resolution, optimized for printing. Low-resolution images won’t slip through the cracks, which means no blurry visuals.
No Interactive Elements: Unlike interactive PDFs used for forms or presentations, PDF/X files are meant strictly for static content — ensuring there are no distractions like hyperlinks or multimedia.

How PDF/X Improves Printing Consistency

Imagine sending a design for print and crossing your fingers, hoping it’ll match what you see on your screen. With PDF/X, those uncertainties are minimized — it’s a standard that takes the guesswork out of the equation.

Here’s why PDF/X is trusted by printing professionals:

1. Avoiding Errors: Designers and printers often encounter issues when fonts aren’t embedded or color profiles are missing. With PDF/X, these common pitfalls are eliminated. The file comes pre-packaged with everything the printer needs, ensuring the document prints exactly as expected.

2. Maintaining Quality: One of the biggest concerns when moving from screen to print is color inconsistency. Your monitor and the printer’s output device have different ways of displaying colors. PDF/X files contain embedded color profiles, which tell the printer exactly how to handle the document’s colors, ensuring accurate reproduction on paper. This minimizes the chance of unexpected color shifts.

3. Avoiding Font Issues: Fonts can be tricky, especially if a printer doesn’t have the exact font you used in your document. PDF/X requires that all fonts be embedded within the file, meaning the printer will have the same version of your fonts as you used in your design. The result? No missing fonts or unexpected font substitutions.

In a world where the smallest inconsistency can affect the final product, PDF/X ensures that every detail is exactly where it should be.

When to Use PDF/X

PDF/X is especially important when your work is headed for professional printing, but it’s also essential in any industry where print materials need to be perfectly consistent. Here are some key use cases:

1. Publishing: For magazines, newspapers, books, and catalogs, PDF/X ensures that page layouts, images, and fonts appear exactly as they should on the press. With tight deadlines and high expectations for quality, it’s essential that publishers use PDF/X to maintain control over their documents.

2. Graphic Design: Designers working with complex layouts or detailed artwork can rely on PDF/X to make sure their designs are delivered in a format that preserves high-quality images, perfect typography, and accurate colors. It’s the gold standard for print designers who want to avoid reworks and misprints.

3. Advertising: Marketing materials, whether digital or print, need to be crisp, clear, and vibrant. PDF/X ensures that posters, flyers, and brochures look flawless when printed, with no surprises in color or layout.

Best Practices for Converting Documents to PDF/X

If you’re converting a document to PDF/X for professional printing, here are some tips:

Use a Template: Start with a template that’s already set up for PDF/X output. Many design programs have PDF/X templates to choose from, making it easier to ensure you’re meeting all the technical requirements.
Check Resolution: Ensure that all images used in your document are at least 300 dpi (dots per inch), the standard for high-quality print.
Review Color Settings: Make sure you’re working in the correct color space — for most print jobs, this will be CMYK, not RGB. PDF/X ensures that your colors are consistent when printed on different printers or presses.

Tools for Creating PDF/X Files

Creating PDF/X files is simple, thanks to various professional design and editing tools that offer built-in support for the format. Here are some of the most popular:

1. Adobe InDesign: One of the go-to tools for print designers, InDesign allows users to export documents as PDF/X files directly. Simply choose the PDF/X option under the Export menu, and InDesign will take care of embedding fonts, color profiles, and images in the right format.

2. Adobe Illustrator: Illustrator also offers an option to export print-ready PDFs. While working on designs, you can choose PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 as your export format to ensure compliance with industry standards.

3. Adobe Acrobat: Acrobat is a go-to tool for checking and validating PDF/X compliance. Use the Preflight tool in Acrobat Pro to validate that your document meets the PDF/X specifications. This ensures that fonts are embedded, the color profiles are correct, and the file is ready for printing.

4. Other Software: Tools like QuarkXPress, CorelDRAW, and even free software like Scribus can also export to PDF/X, though they may have slightly different features or settings depending on the version.

By using PDF/X, you can rest assured that your print files will meet industry standards and print exactly as intended — no surprises. Whether you’re designing for a magazine, creating marketing materials, or submitting blueprints for a project, PDF/X ensures that your documents are print-ready and flawless every time.

4. PDF/A: Ensuring Long-Term Document Archiving

PDF/A: Ensuring Long-Term Document Archiving

In a world where digital records are constantly evolving, preserving documents for long-term access and readability can be a daunting challenge. Whether it’s government records, legal documents, or corporate archives, the need to keep these files accessible and intact decades down the line is critical. Enter PDF/A, a specialized subset of the PDF format designed specifically for digital archiving.

What is PDF/A?

PDF/A (the “A” stands for archiving) is a PDF format designed for long-term storage and accessibility of documents. Unlike regular PDFs, which can rely on external elements like fonts, multimedia, or software-specific features that might not be supported in the future, PDF/A ensures that the document is fully self-contained.

Here’s how PDF/A differs from standard PDFs:

Font Embedding: Regular PDFs may link to fonts installed on the computer of the person viewing the file. But over time, those fonts might become outdated or unavailable. PDF/A requires that all fonts used in the document be embedded in the file, ensuring the text appears exactly as intended, even decades later.
No Encryption or Password Protection: In the regular PDF format, documents can be encrypted or password-protected, which can make them difficult to open in the future. PDF/A eliminates these features to ensure that documents can always be accessed, read, and printed without the need for external security measures.
No External Dependencies: PDF/A files must be self-contained, meaning there are no external links, multimedia files, or JavaScript code. This prevents compatibility issues in the future, ensuring that the document will open correctly regardless of what software is used.

This self-sufficiency and preservation-friendly nature make PDF/A the go-to format for archiving important records, especially when you need them to be reliable and accessible for decades or even centuries.

Why PDF/A is Important for Archiving

Think of a time when software updates or operating systems completely obsolete older file formats. This can pose a major problem for important documents that need to remain accessible long after their creation. Whether it’s a legal document, a government file, or an important contract, you want the ability to read and reference it without worrying about being unable to open it due to software changes.

Here’s why PDF/A is essential for digital archiving:

Long-Term Accessibility: Unlike other file formats that might be incompatible with future software or operating systems, PDF/A guarantees that documents will remain openable and readable for years to come. This is crucial for sectors like government, law, and healthcare, where documents often need to be preserved for decades or longer.
Preserving Document Integrity: PDF/A ensures that the document’s layout, fonts, and images remain intact, no matter how technology changes. Without this standard, files that rely on external links, fonts, or software features may not display correctly when opened years later.
Regulatory Compliance: In many industries, such as legal and government, certain documents must be retained for a specific period of time. PDF/A makes compliance easier by ensuring that files remain unchanged and accessible. Many legal and government standards require the use of PDF/A for archival purposes, ensuring that documents retain their authenticity and integrity over time.

When to Use PDF/A

PDF/A is most commonly used for archiving documents that must be preserved and accessible for long periods of time. Here are some common use cases:

1. Government and Legal Documents: Laws, contracts, permits, and other regulatory documents often need to be archived for decades or longer. PDF/A ensures that these important records remain unchanged and available for public reference, no matter how technology evolves.

2. Corporate and Financial Records: Companies are often required to retain financial documents, tax returns, contracts, and more for long periods. PDF/A is perfect for archiving these files since it guarantees data integrity and future accessibility.

3. Medical Records: Healthcare organizations must retain patient records for many years. Using PDF/A for medical archives ensures that these records remain readable and accessible to authorized personnel, even as software and technology advance.

4. Research and Historical Documents: Institutions storing valuable research papers, scientific studies, and other important records need a format that will stand the test of time. PDF/A is often used in libraries, archives, and museums to preserve historical documents for future generations.

Best Practices for Converting Documents to PDF/A for Archiving

To ensure the success of your archiving strategy, follow these best practices:

Convert Early: When you create important documents, convert them to PDF/A at the point of creation. This ensures that you are already following the best practices for long-term storage, making it much easier than trying to convert an outdated file later.
Avoid Password Protection: Since PDF/A doesn’t support encryption or password protection, make sure the document doesn’t rely on these security measures before conversion.
Verify Integrity: Before archiving, ensure that your PDF/A file is complete and self-contained. Tools like Adobe Acrobat Pro and other PDF software offer validation features that check if your file is PDF/A-compliant.

PDF/A Versions (PDF/A-1, PDF/A-2, PDF/A-3)

PDF/A has evolved over the years, with three main versions that offer additional features and capabilities.

1. PDF/A-1: The first version of PDF/A, released in 2005, focuses primarily on document preservation. It ensures that all fonts and images are embedded, but it lacks support for newer technologies like transparency or layers. This version is ideal for archiving simple text-based documents or scanned images.

2. PDF/A-2: Released in 2011, PDF/A-2 adds support for modern features like transparency, layers, and JPEG2000 image compression. It’s better suited for documents that may need to retain these advanced features for design fidelity while still being archived for the long term.

3. PDF/A-3: Introduced in 2012, PDF/A-3 allows the embedding of non-PDF files within a PDF document. For example, you could embed an Excel sheet or a Word document within a PDF/A file. This is useful in cases where you want to keep multiple file formats together for archiving, like a report with embedded data or spreadsheets.

How to Choose the Right Version

PDF/A-1 is great for simple documents, like text-heavy contracts, government forms, or scanned pages.
PDF/A-2 is ideal for documents that need modern features like transparency or advanced image handling.
PDF/A-3 is perfect when you need to archive multiple file types within a single document.

In conclusion, PDF/A is an essential tool for anyone looking to preserve important documents for the long term. Whether for legal, medical, government, or corporate use, PDF/A ensures your files remain accessible, authentic, and intact for decades to come, protecting your digital archives from becoming obsolete as technology advances.

5. Other PDF Standards

PDF standards extend far beyond the general PDF format, each designed to address specific needs across industries. Let’s dive into three additional standards: PDF/E for engineering and technical documents, PDF/UA for universal accessibility, and PDF/VT for variable and transactional printing. Each of these standards plays a crucial role in meeting specialized requirements, ensuring consistency, and optimizing workflows in their respective fields.

PDF/E: Engineering and Technical Documents

In industries like engineering, architecture, and construction, precise communication of complex designs and technical specifications is crucial. Traditional PDFs are often insufficient when it comes to handling large, intricate designs, such as CAD drawings or 3D models. Enter PDF/E.

PDF/E (Engineering) is a PDF standard specifically designed to handle the demands of technical documents. Unlike standard PDFs, PDF/E supports the integration of CAD files, technical drawings, and other complex graphics that are central to engineering and architectural fields. It’s optimized for:

Large file sizes: PDF/E allows engineers and architects to share large, detailed documents without losing file integrity or quality.
Embedded 3D models: Engineers can embed interactive 3D models in PDF/E files, enabling clients, colleagues, and contractors to view and manipulate designs directly within the document.
Complex vector graphics: Unlike standard PDFs, PDF/E ensures that vector graphics and large drawings maintain their clarity and resolution when zoomed in or printed.

Why Engineers and Architects Rely on PDF/E

For professionals in technical fields, PDF/E is a game-changer. It provides the ability to share large files while preserving the accuracy and clarity of designs, even at high zoom levels. Since engineers and architects often need to collaborate with multiple stakeholders, PDF/E enables seamless communication, ensuring that every design detail is retained. It also supports secure digital signatures, which is important for formal approvals and contract work.

PDF/UA: Universal Accessibility

Accessibility is a fundamental aspect of ensuring that documents are usable by everyone, including individuals with disabilities. PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility) was developed to make PDF documents more accessible for people who rely on assistive technologies, such as screen readers and braille displays.

What PDF/UA Is Used For

PDF/UA is a specialized standard that ensures PDFs are accessible to people with visual impairments or other disabilities. It provides detailed guidelines on how to structure PDF documents to ensure they are compatible with assistive technologies. PDF/UA ensures that:

Screen readers can correctly interpret text, images, tables, and forms.
Navigation is simplified, with a logical reading order, tagged headings, and accessible links.
Document elements like text, links, and form fields are properly labeled and structured.

Why PDF/UA is Important for Accessibility

In many industries, accessibility is not just a legal requirement but a moral imperative. PDF/UA ensures that all PDF documents meet the necessary standards for accessibility, making it easier for individuals with disabilities to read and interact with them. For instance, a visually impaired person can use a screen reader to interpret the text in a PDF/UA-compliant document, even navigating form fields or interpreting tables and images with ease.

This standard is vital for organizations that publish documents intended for public consumption, such as government reports, educational materials, or public-facing websites, to ensure that they are inclusive and compliant with accessibility regulations like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Section 508.

PDF/VT: Variable and Transactional Printing

In the world of high-volume printing, especially in personalized documents like invoices, marketing materials, or statements, it’s important to efficiently print documents that can contain variable data. Enter PDF/VT (Variable and Transactional Printing).

What PDF/VT Is Used For

PDF/VT is a standard designed for transactional and variable data printing. This includes documents like invoices, bank statements, direct mail, and personalized marketing materials, which often contain changing information (e.g., customer names, addresses, balances). Unlike traditional print jobs that use a static layout, PDF/VT allows for the dynamic insertion of variable content into a single document template. Features of PDF/VT include:

Support for variable data: It allows organizations to dynamically insert different content—such as customer names, personalized offers, or billing details—into a single document template.
Efficient data handling: PDF/VT can handle high volumes of documents with different variables efficiently, ensuring that no data is lost or misprinted.
Color management: It supports advanced color management for printed materials, ensuring that brand colors are consistent across all documents.

Benefits for Printing High Volumes of Personalized Documents

PDF/VT is essential for industries that require high-volume, variable-data printing, such as insurance companies, banks, and direct mail marketers. By using PDF/VT, organizations can:

Reduce printing costs by consolidating multiple variable print jobs into a single, streamlined process.
Increase efficiency by automating the insertion of personalized data, reducing human error.
Ensure quality with PDF/VT’s advanced color management and print optimization features, resulting in clear, professional-looking documents.
PDF/VT also makes it easier for organizations to comply with regulations around document retention, especially when used in combination with PDF/A for archiving documents that are produced in high volumes.

Each standard plays a critical role in its respective field, ensuring that PDFs not only meet industry-specific needs but also support the growing demand for efficiency, accessibility, and future-proofing in today’s digital world.

6. Best Practices for Working with PDF Standards

When working with PDFs, it’s important to understand that different standards are tailored to specific use cases, whether it’s printing, archiving, or sharing documents. By selecting the right standard and using the proper tools, you can ensure that your PDFs meet industry requirements, maintain compatibility, and remain usable in the long term. Here are the best practices for working with PDF standards:

Choosing the Right PDF Standard for Your Needs

Choosing the most appropriate PDF standard depends on the nature of your document, intended use, and future needs. Here are a few factors to consider:

Document Type: If your document is intended for printing, PDF/X would be ideal as it ensures that fonts, images, and colors are preserved and print-ready. If you are archiving important documents, such as legal contracts or government records, PDF/A is best, as it guarantees long-term accessibility. For technical documents with 3D models or CAD files, PDF/E is the standard to go for.
Audience: Consider who will be viewing or interacting with the document. If accessibility is key, such as for documents aimed at the general public or those with disabilities, PDF/UA ensures compliance with accessibility regulations and that screen readers can interpret the document correctly.
Long-Term Use: If your document needs to be preserved for years to come, it’s important to select a standard that will withstand future technological changes. PDF/A ensures long-term readability, regardless of software or system updates.

By aligning the PDF standard to your document’s purpose, you ensure it meets industry requirements and will be functional across different platforms.

Tools for Creating, Validating, and Converting to PDF Standards

To create PDFs that meet the required standard, it’s essential to use the right tools:

Creating Compliant PDFs: Adobe Acrobat, for example, is a versatile tool that allows users to create, edit, and convert documents into various PDF standards. Programs like Adobe InDesign and Illustrator also support PDF/X and PDF/E creation, ensuring professional-quality documents for printing and technical applications.
Validating Compliance: Ensuring your PDF adheres to the intended standard is crucial. Adobe Acrobat’s built-in validation tools can check for PDF/A compliance, while other specialized tools can check if a document is PDF/X or PDF/UA compliant. Always validate your documents before sharing or archiving them to avoid compatibility issues.
Converting to Standards: If you have an existing PDF that needs to comply with a specific standard, tools like PDF/X tools and PDF/A conversion tools can help you quickly convert the document. It’s crucial to use software that preserves the document’s quality during conversion while ensuring compliance with the relevant PDF standard.

Ensuring Future-Proof Documents

When creating and archiving PDFs, it’s important to think about the long-term usability and accessibility of the document. Here are a few tips for ensuring your PDFs stand the test of time:

Embed Fonts and Media: Ensure that all fonts are embedded in the PDF, especially when working with PDF/X or PDF/A. This helps preserve the document’s appearance, even if the original fonts are not installed on the recipient’s system. Similarly, if your document contains multimedia (e.g., videos, images), make sure they are properly embedded for long-term accessibility.
Simplify Document Structures: Avoid excessive dependencies on external resources like web links or scripts. Instead, keep the PDF self-contained by embedding fonts and graphics to ensure it remains readable and functional across future platforms.
Choose Durable Formats: For archiving, always opt for PDF/A, which eliminates encryption, forms, and other elements that might cause issues with long-term readability. Ensure documents are formatted correctly and follow PDF/A rules for future accessibility.

By following these best practices, you can create PDFs that are not only compliant with industry standards but are also accessible and functional for years to come.

7. FAQs

As the world of PDFs continues to evolve, it’s important to understand the nuances between different standards and their applications. Below are some frequently asked questions to help clarify the differences and best practices when working with PDF/X, PDF/A, and other standards.

What is the difference between a regular PDF and a PDF/X or PDF/A?

A regular PDF is a versatile document format used for general purposes such as reading, printing, and sharing documents. It may not always include the necessary components for specific uses, such as professional printing or long-term archiving.

PDF/X is a print-ready PDF standard that ensures a document is prepared for high-quality printing without errors. It embeds fonts, images, and color profiles, ensuring the document will look the same when printed, regardless of the printer or device used. This standard eliminates issues like missing fonts or color mismatches.

PDF/A is designed for long-term digital archiving. Unlike regular PDFs, PDF/A ensures that a document remains accessible and readable decades into the future by embedding fonts, eliminating encryption, and removing any dependencies on external files. This standard guarantees that documents can still be opened and read even as software and technology evolve.

Can I convert any PDF to PDF/A or PDF/X?

Yes, you can convert most PDFs into PDF/X or PDF/A, but the conversion process may require some adjustments:

For PDF/X, the document must be print-ready, meaning it should include all fonts, images, and color profiles correctly embedded. You may need to check that the file meets specific requirements, such as no transparency or no layers, depending on the version of PDF/X.
For PDF/A, any multimedia content like videos or external links will need to be removed, as PDF/A requires documents to be self-contained. Additionally, fonts must be embedded, and encryption must be removed to comply with PDF/A standards.

Some PDFs may need further editing or optimization before they can be fully compliant with these standards.

Do PDF standards apply to all document types (e.g., forms, images, text)?

Yes, PDF standards can apply to most types of documents, but different standards may be better suited for specific types of content:

PDF/X works best with documents meant for printing, such as text-heavy documents, brochures, or flyers that include images, logos, and color specifications.
PDF/A is particularly important for archiving purposes, including forms, legal documents, and official records, as it ensures that the document can be read and accessed long into the future without depending on external sources.
PDF/E (for engineering) or PDF/VT (for variable data) are designed for specific industries and document types, such as technical drawings or personalized printing. PDF/UA is best for documents that require accessibility, like forms and reports meant for a wider audience.

While PDF standards are flexible, it’s important to select the right one based on your document’s purpose and intended audience.

How do I know if my PDF is compliant with the PDF/X or PDF/A standards?

To check if your PDF is compliant with the PDF/X or PDF/A standards, you can use specialized software tools:

Adobe Acrobat Pro provides built-in tools to check compliance with both PDF/X and PDF/A standards. You can run a Preflight check that will examine the PDF for compliance and report any issues that need to be fixed.
There are also free or third-party validation tools, such as PDF/X Validator or PDF/A Validation Tools, which can be used to ensure your document meets the necessary standards.

If your PDF is not compliant, the tools will often provide suggestions or fixes, like embedding fonts or removing unsupported elements.

By using these tools, you can ensure that your PDF meets the required standard before sharing, printing, or archiving it.