PFA to PFB Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
PFA is a Type 1 PostScript font stored as readable ASCII — the printable cousin of PFB, favored by Unix typesetting pipelines that feed fonts straight into interpreters. Convert PFB to PFA when a tool needs to read the font as text.
Because the whole conversion happens on your device, it is instant, unlimited and genuinely private — no accounts, no watermarks, no files on anyone's server. Multiple files are converted in one go.
How PFA compares to PFB
| PFA | PFB | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | ASCII font program + eexec hex section | 0x80-segmented binary (ASCII/binary/ASCII) |
| Types / schema | Plain text (Type 1) | Binary (Type 1) |
| Compatibility | groff, ghostscript, fontforge | X11, Ghostscript, fontforge |
| Best for | Unix typesetting pipelines | Installed Type 1 fonts |
How to convert PFA to PFB
- 1
Select your files
Drag & drop your PFA files onto the area above, or click to browse. You can add multiple files at once for batch conversion.
- 2
Convert instantly
Click "Convert to PFB". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.
- 3
Download results
Download each converted PFB file individually, or grab everything at once as a ZIP archive.
About the PFA format
PFA is a Type 1 PostScript font written entirely as readable ASCII: the cleartext part defines the font program, the eexec-encrypted section arrives as long hex lines, and a cleartomark closes it. Unix typesetting pipelines (groff, dvips) prefer PFA because it can be shipped through text tools unchanged.
PFB is the same font in binary segments — what X11 and drivers want on disk. The conversion is pure restructuring: re-split the sections, hex-decode the encrypted part, prepend length markers. No glyph data changes.
+ Strengths
- ✓Human-readable — survives text tools
- ✓Directly consumable by PostScript interpreters
- ✓Round-trips to PFB losslessly
! Limitations
- −30% larger than PFB (hex expansion)
- −Old format — few new fonts ship as Type 1
- −Adobe formally ended Type 1 support in 2023
About the PFB format
PFB packages the same Type 1 font as length-prefixed binary segments — ASCII header, encrypted binary body, ASCII trailer — marked with 0x80 sentinel bytes. This is the on-disk form X11 font servers, printer drivers and Ghostscript expect, and it is about 30% smaller than the ASCII PFA.
Converting PFB to PFA turns every segment back into printable text — handy for diffing fonts, patching hinting by hand or feeding interpreters that only accept ASCII.
+ Strengths
- ✓Compact binary form of Type 1
- ✓The form X11/drivers actually install
- ✓Lossless round-trip with PFA
! Limitations
- −Not human-readable
- −Type 1 is end-of-life at Adobe
- −Segment size cap of 64KB per block
Why convert PFA to PFB?
Think of it as moving your file to the container that fits the job. 30% larger than PFB (hex expansion) PFB works differently: Compact binary form of Type 1 If any of that sounds like your task, run the conversion — it takes seconds and nothing leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this PFA to PFB converter really free?
Yes — completely free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily conversion limits. The site is supported by advertising.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly, so your files never leave your device — that is what makes it instant and private.
Does it work on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android?
Yes. Anything with a modern browser works: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. No software installation is required.
Is there a file size limit for PFA to PFB?
The only limit is your device's memory, since nothing is uploaded. Files up to a few hundred megabytes work fine on a modern desktop browser; very large files simply take a little longer.
Do I still need the license for the converted font?
Yes. Converting a format does not change its license — the same foundry terms apply wherever the font is used, including the web.
Does converting PFA to PFB change how the font looks?
No. The glyph outlines are carried over as they are — conversion changes the container and compression, not the shapes your users see.