webtoolshelper
PDF Tools

PDF Version Checker

Find out which PDF version a document is written in and what that means for compatibility. The checker reads the header and catalog version, the standards the file claims in its metadata – PDF/A for archiving, PDF/UA for accessibility, PDF/X for print – the features it uses, such as object streams, transparency, layers, forms or JavaScript, and the program that produced it.

  • Files stay on your device
  • No sign-up
  • Free to use

How to use PDF Version Checker

  1. Drop a PDF onto the page.
  2. Click “Check version”.
  3. Read the version, standards and features.
  4. Use the notes to judge compatibility.

PDF Version Checker features

Effective version

Header and catalog version combined.

Standards

PDF/A part and level, PDF/UA, PDF/X claims.

Feature list

With the version that introduced each feature.

XFA detection

Warns about Adobe-only dynamic forms.

Producer

Creator and producer applications.

Private

Analysed in your browser.

When to use PDF Version Checker

  • Checking e-filing and archive requirements.
  • Diagnosing files that old software cannot open.
  • Confirming a PDF/A export worked.
  • Finding which program created a document.

PDF Version Checker FAQ

What are the PDF versions?

PDF 1.0 to 1.7 were Adobe versions from 1993 to 2006; 1.7 became the ISO 32000-1 standard. PDF 2.0 (ISO 32000-2) followed in 2017.

Why two version numbers?

The header at the start of the file states one version; the document catalog can raise it when a file is updated. The higher one applies.

Does the checker validate PDF/A?

It reads the claim in the metadata. Full validation checks hundreds of rules and needs a dedicated validator such as veraPDF.

What is XFA?

An Adobe XML form technology that only Acrobat and Reader display. It is deprecated in PDF 2.0.

Will an old reader open a newer PDF?

Usually, but features newer than the reader may not display or work correctly.

Is my PDF uploaded?

No. It is analysed in your browser.

PDF Font Inspector See exactly which fonts a PDF uses and whether they travel with the file. The… PDF Linearization Checker Find out whether a PDF is optimised for the web. A linearized (“Fast Web View”)… PDF Page Size Checker Find out what paper size a PDF really has. The checker reads every page’s boxes… PDF JavaScript Remover Make a PDF safer to share and open. The remover scans the file for active content… PDF Repair Tool Recover PDFs that will not open or that some programs reject. The repair tool… PDF Metadata Remover PDFs quietly record who made them, with what software and when. View those hidden…

PDF versions and standards

The PDF format has grown over three decades. Each version added capabilities: transparency in 1.4, object streams and layers in 1.5, AES encryption in 1.6, the ISO standard in 1.7 and a revised, cleaner specification in 2.0. A file declares its version in the first line and may raise it in its catalog after an incremental update.

Specialised standards build on top of the core format. PDF/A restricts features to make documents self-contained for long-term archiving; PDF/UA requires a tagged structure for accessibility; PDF/X ensures predictable printing. Files declare conformance in their XMP metadata, which the checker reads.

The feature list explains what a document depends on. Object streams and cross-reference streams make files smaller but need PDF 1.5 readers; JavaScript and XFA forms work only in some viewers; embedded attachments, layers and transparency behave differently across tools.

Knowing the producer helps too: the program that wrote a file often explains quirks, such as missing fonts or unusual structure.

A typical use is checking files before submitting them to a court, tax office or archive portal that names a required PDF version or standard. If a portal asks for PDF/A, the checker shows whether the file at least claims conformance; if it does not, export again from the source program with the PDF/A option enabled.

Other useful tools