How to Check if a PDF Invoice Has Embedded XML (Factur-X, ZUGFeRD)

With e-invoicing mandates live in France and coming in Germany, finance teams keep asking the same question: is this PDF a real e-invoice, or just a picture of one? A hybrid invoice (Factur-X or ZUGFeRD) carries an XML file inside the PDF. Here is how to check in under a minute.

Method 1: the attachments panel

Most desktop PDF readers show embedded files in a side panel.

1. Open the invoice in a desktop PDF reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, Foxit or Okular.
2. Open the Attachments panel (often a paperclip icon in the left sidebar).
3. Look for a file named factur-x.xml, zugferd-invoice.xml, or xrechnung.xml.

If you see one, the invoice is hybrid. You can save the XML to disk and open it in any text editor; see how to open and read XML files.

Note that browser viewers in Chrome and Edge often do not show attachments at all, so "nothing visible" in a browser proves nothing.

Method 2: the document properties

1. Open File → Properties (or Document Properties).
2. Look for PDF/A conformance. Hybrid invoices are PDF/A-3, usually PDF/A-3b.
3. Some readers show custom XMP metadata that names the Factur-X profile, such as EN 16931.

PDF/A-3 alone does not prove there is an invoice XML, but a plain office export rarely claims PDF/A-3.

Method 3: command-line tools

If you handle many invoices, a quick script beats clicking. With the free poppler utilities:

pdfdetach -list invoice.pdf
pdfdetach -save 1 invoice.pdf -o invoice.xml

The first command lists embedded files; the second saves the first one. See our introduction to poppler-utils for installation.

Method 4: a validator

For a definitive answer, use a Factur-X or ZUGFeRD validator. These check that the XML matches the schema, that the profile is declared correctly, and that the PDF/A container is valid. Your accounting software or e-invoicing platform usually runs this check on import.

What if the XML is missing?

You have a plain PDF invoice. Depending on your country and the date, that may no longer be a valid B2B invoice. In France, invoices between domestic businesses now travel through approved platforms, and in Germany receiving businesses can ask for a compliant format. Ask the supplier to resend in a structured format.

What if the XML and the PDF disagree?

This happens when someone edits the visible PDF after it was generated. The XML is authoritative for bookkeeping and tax purposes. Do not "fix" it yourself. Ask the supplier for a corrected invoice or credit note, and keep both versions in your records.

Protect the XML in your own workflow

• Do not "print to PDF" a hybrid invoice. It drops the attachment.
• Do not merge it into a bundle. The bundle is a new file without valid Factur-X metadata.
• Annotate or stamp a copy, never the original.

A browser editor such as Docento.app is fine for marking up that copy, for example with an approval stamp and initials.

Takeaway

The attachments panel answers the question in most cases. If you see an XML file, keep the original untouched and let your accounting software read it. For background, see Factur-X explained.