PFA to XZ 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. Unpack XZ into ZIP/TAR for tools that cannot read LZMA2.
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 to convert PFA to XZ
- 1
Select your files
Select your PFA file.
- 2
Convert instantly
The file bytes are gzip-compressed in place — the same archive your server or build tool produces, made locally.
- 3
Download results
Download the .gz file — ready to upload, serve or attach.
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 XZ format
XZ wraps the LZMA2 algorithm: the best ratio of the common Unix compressors, which is why distribution packages and source releases pick it when bandwidth matters more than CPU.
Windows Explorer and many cross-platform tools cannot open it — unpacking to ZIP or TAR makes the payload portable.
+Strengths
- ✓Highest common ratio
- ✓Standard for Linux packages
- ✓Integrity checks built in
!Limitations
- −Memory-hungry at high settings
- −Sparse support outside Linux
Why convert PFA to XZ?
Converting makes sense where the strengths of XZ meet what PFA cannot give you. Highest common ratio Meanwhile 30% larger than PFB (hex expansion) One pass through the converter above puts your file on the right side of that trade-off.
Frequently asked questions
Is this PFA to XZ 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 XZ?
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.
Are the files inside my PFA archive modified?
No. Contents are unpacked in memory and repacked into XZ byte-for-byte — the conversion changes the container, never the files inside it.
What about folders and directory structure?
The full directory tree is preserved: folders stay folders, and deep paths arrive exactly as they were packed in the PFA file.