Online Tool Store
PDF Preflight Validator
Check a PDF for the issues print and archiving workflows reject: missing fonts, RGB images, low resolution, no bleed, and PDF/A conformance.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
PDF Preflight Validator
Frontend preview — no upload or external service.
Preflight report
12 pages checked: 2 fonts not embedded, 4 images below 300 dpi, colour space RGB where CMYK expected, no bleed box defined. Not PDF/A-1b conformant.
How the PDF Preflight Validator works
- Upload the PDF and choose the profile that matches its destination.
- Read the failures in order — unembedded fonts are the one that changes how the document looks.
- Fix at source in the design file rather than patching the PDF, then re-export and re-check.
FAQ
Why do fonts need embedding?
Because a printer without that font substitutes another, and the substitution reflows text and changes line breaks. Embedding is the single most important preflight check for print.
What is PDF/A and when do I need it?
An ISO-standardised subset of PDF for long-term archiving — self-contained, no external dependencies, no embedded video or scripts. Required by many legal and government archives.
Is RGB always wrong for print?
Not always, since many digital presses accept RGB and convert. But an offset workflow expecting CMYK will convert without your input, and colours can shift noticeably.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | A desktop PDF editor | An upload-based service |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF/A conformance check | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Per-page detail | ✓ | Varies | ✓ |
| File stays on your device | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fixes the issues for you | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
PDF Preflight Validator reports what a printer or archive would reject — the fixes belong in the source document, not in the exported PDF.