Check PDF Standards
A free Adobe Acrobat plugin that detects PDF standards compliance across your documents. Instantly identify PDF/A, PDF/UA, PDF/X, and more.
Overview
Check PDF Standards is a free Adobe Acrobat plugin developed by Mapsoft that inspects PDF documents for standards compliance. It reads the XAP metadata embedded in your PDFs to detect which ISO standards they conform to, helping you verify compliance without manual inspection.
The plugin supports checking individual files, entire folders of PDFs (with optional recursion), or the currently open document in Acrobat. Results can be displayed on screen or exported to CSV for further analysis.
Supported Standards
Detect compliance with six major PDF standards.
PDF/A
Long-term archival standard. Detects conformance levels including PDF/A-1a, PDF/A-1b, PDF/A-2a, PDF/A-2b, PDF/A-3a, and PDF/A-3b.
PDF/UA
Universal accessibility standard. Verifies that PDFs meet accessibility requirements for assistive technologies.
PDF/X
Print exchange standard. Ensures PDFs are suitable for reliable prepress data exchange in the printing industry.
PDF/VT
Variable and transactional printing standard. Used for high-volume, personalised print output.
PDF/E
Engineering standard. Designed for engineering documents, supporting interactive 3D content and geospatial data.
PDF/VCR
Variable content redaction standard. Identifies PDFs that conform to variable content redaction specifications.
Key Features
Flexible checking options for individual files or entire collections.
Single File Checking
Browse for and check any individual PDF file on your system for standards compliance.
Batch Folder Processing
Check all PDFs in a folder at once, with an option to include subfolders recursively.
Current Document
Instantly check the PDF that is currently open in Adobe Acrobat without navigating away.
CSV Export
Export results to CSV files for reporting, record-keeping, or further analysis in spreadsheet applications.
Acrobat Integration
Installs directly into Adobe Acrobat under the Extensions > Mapsoft menu, fitting your existing workflow.
Completely Free
No licence key required. Download and use Check PDF Standards at no cost, with no limitations.
Use Cases
Quickly verify PDF standards compliance across a range of scenarios.
Archival Verification
Confirm that documents destined for long-term storage comply with PDF/A standards before committing them to your archive.
Accessibility Auditing
Check whether PDFs meet PDF/UA accessibility requirements, helping your organisation comply with accessibility regulations.
Print Production QA
Verify PDF/X compliance before sending files to print, ensuring reliable output across different prepress workflows.
Batch Compliance Reporting
Process entire folders of PDFs and export results to CSV for compliance audits, documentation, or management reporting.
Resources
Get started with Check PDF Standards using the resources below.
System Requirements
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat Pro or Standard (DC 64-bit). Not compatible with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Operating System
Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit).
Licence
Completely free. No licence key or registration required.
Related Products
FDA Checker
Automated compliance checking for FDA electronic submission requirements including fonts, bookmarks, and hyperlinks.
SecuritySetter
Apply, update, and remove PDF security settings including encryption strength, passwords, and document permissions.
Ready to Check Your PDFs?
Download Check PDF Standards for free and start verifying standards compliance today.