Convert to PDF/X API, PDF to PDFX Converter for Prepress Print-Ready Results

Convert to PDF/X is a REST API tool designed to create print-ready PDFs using trusted Adobe technology. By converting to PDF/X, developers can optimize PDFs for high-quality printing, ensuring compatibility with prepress print requirements.

Automate preflight workflows, eliminating the need for manual processing in Acrobat, Illustrator, or other software.
Standardize color profiles and embed fonts to ensure accurate color reproduction and prevent font substitution issues.
Guarantee consistent and reliable print quality compatible with any prepress pipeline.
Leverage PDF/X-4 and PDF/X-6 for advanced features tailored to modern printing requirements.
Ensure compatibility with older printing systems by flattening transparencies and adhering to PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-3.

Try Now with API Lab

Start right from your browser - upload files, choose parameters, generate code, and send API Calls directly from API Lab!

Request

POST

Headers

Api-Key

Don't have a key? Create an account to get one.

Response-Type

Poll for the status of a request by ID. Request IDs can be found in the JSON response of POST requests sent to any pdfRest endpoint.

Required Parameters

file

File to be uploaded and processed

Alphanumeric ID (UUID) of existing file on server to be processed

output_type

Desired PDF/X version for the output PDF

Optional Parameters

output

Name of the generated output file, without extension

Code

curl -X POST "https://api.pdfrest.com/pdfx" \ 
  -H "Accept: application/json" \ 
  -H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data" \
  -H "Api-Key: xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx" \

Response

The response for your API Call will display here.

Once you've sent your POST request and received a valid response, you can download your output file using the output URL.

Build Your Solution

You have document processing problems, we have Solutions. Explore the many ways pdfRest can align your documents with your business objectives.

Browse all solutions

Automate PDF Prepress for Direct Mailing Jobs

Integrate pdfRest with Microsoft Power Automate

Choose the Right PDF/X Version for Your Print Needs

A PDF with transparent content is converted to a PDF/X file with checkmark stamp of approval before being sent to a printer

Convert PDF to PDF/X to Optimize for Print

Integrate PDF API Tools with Salesforce Apex Code

Control your Backend with pdfRest API Toolkit Self-Hosted

Why is pdfRest the best API to convert PDF to PDF/X?

pdfRest offers the best solution for converting PDF documents to PDF/X specifications, because it uses the most reliable conversion technology, supports robust versions, and offers preflight conditional processing.

Guaranteed Print-Ready PDF Results Powered by Adobe

Unlike other PDF/X conversion tools, pdfRest leverages gold-standard Adobe® PDF Library™, the same technology used by Adobe Acrobat, to ensure the highest quality PDF/X conversions. This gold-standard solution guarantees consistent and ISO 15930-compliant results, preventing printing errors and ensuring your documents are always ready for print production.

Accurate Conversions: Meticulous analysis and processing ensures perfect PDF/X output.
Industry Standards: Adobe® PDF Library™ guarantees ISO 15930 compliance.
Prevent Costly Errors: Reliable conversion eliminates costly reprints and delays.
Streamlined Workflows: Seamless API integration helps you automates PDF/X conversion.

Choose pdfRest for unmatched reliability and superior PDF/X conversion results.

Robust PDF/X Version Support with Expert Guidance

Our Convert to PDF/X API Tool offers comprehensive support for a wide range of industry-standard PDF/X conformance versions, ensuring compatibility with diverse printing workflows and regulations worldwide.

PDF/X-1a: Ensures that all fonts are embedded, and colors are specified in CMYK or spot colors, offering a solid foundation for reliable printing.
PDF/X-3: Expands on 1a with support for wider range of color spaces and profiles, suitable for more specialized printing needs.
PDF/X-4: Most widely-used, supports complex transparency effects, layers, JPEG2000, OpenType fonts, and 16-bit images.
PDF/X-6: Latest standard, based on PDF 2.0, supports modern features like page-level output intents and enhanced support for multi-channel print color spaces.

By choosing pdfRest, you're not just selecting a tool; you're gaining a trusted partner that understands the complexities of PDF conversion and is committed to providing the highest level of support and guidance.

Efficient Preflight Checklist with Conditional Processing

Leverage Query PDF API Tool to quickly analyze the inner workings of your PDF documents. This powerful tool returns detailed information about the document's content, including:

Is it already a PDF/X document? Save time and resources by identifying PDFs that are already compliant and don't require conversion.
Does it contain transparencies? If your target printing system doesn't support transparency, the Query PDF API Tool will flag this potential issue.
Are fonts embedded? Missing fonts can lead to substitution issues and inconsistent printing results. The Query PDF API Tool identifies this potential problem so you can take corrective action.

Only convert PDFs that truly require it, optimizing your workflow and saving valuable processing time. This powerful combination ensures your documents meet printing standards while maximizing efficiency.

Check out other videos

Start from Code Examples

See more code examples in our GitHub repository

Need more help?

Start with a Tutorial for step-by-step guidance

How to Convert PDF to PDF/X in Java

How to Convert PDF to PDF/X with .NET C#

How to Convert PDF to PDF/X with cURL

How to Convert PDF to PDF/X with JavaScript

How to Convert PDF to PDF/X with PHP

How to Convert PDF to PDF/X with Python

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Customize Your Solution

Learn about the parameters for this tool to create your custom solution.

File

The file parameter allows you to select a local file to be uploaded to pdfRest’s processing server.

See Documentation

The id parameter allows you to submit a resource ID for a file already on the processing server. Each of our API Tools assigns a unique resource ID to all uploaded input files and generated output files and returns these IDs in the response to each API Call. This allows you to store the IDs from one call and submit them to the next, chaining requests together without having to download intermediate files between requests.

See Documentation

Output

The output parameter lets you set a filename (without extension) for your compressed PDF.

See Documentation

Output Type

Use the output_type parameter to specify the desired PDF/X version for the output PDF.

Accepts:

PDF/X-1a
PDF/X-3
PDF/X-4
PDF/X-6

See Documentation