Why PDF Accessibility Matters
Have you ever opened a PDF file and found yourself struggling to read the text, navigate between sections, or even understand what’s on the page? Now, imagine how frustrating that experience would be for someone using a screen reader or assistive technology. For many users, especially those with visual impairments, motor disabilities, or cognitive challenges—an inaccessible PDF can be a complete barrier to information.
What Is an Accessible PDF?
An accessible PDF is one that’s designed to be usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. Unlike standard PDFs, which may have unreadable text, missing alt text for images, or no logical navigation, an accessible PDF is formatted to work seamlessly with:
✔ Screen readers that convert text into speech.
✔ Keyboard navigation for users who can’t use a mouse.
✔ Assistive technologies that help interpret content accurately.
Why Does PDF Accessibility Matter?
Beyond making content inclusive, accessible PDFs also come with practical benefits:
- Legal Compliance – Many accessibility laws, including the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), and Section 508, require digital documents to be accessible.
- Better Usability – A well-structured, easy-to-navigate PDF improves readability for everyone, not just users with disabilities.
- SEO & Broader Reach – Search engines prioritize accessible content, helping your documents reach a wider audience.
Let’s dive in and ensure your PDFs are readable, navigable, and inclusive for all!
What Makes a PDF Accessible?
Creating an accessible PDF means ensuring that all users, including those with disabilities, can read, navigate, and interact with the content easily. A well-structured PDF works with assistive technologies like screen readers, speech-to-text software, and keyboard-only navigation. Here are the key elements that make a PDF truly accessible:
1. Text Must Be Searchable, Selectable, and Readable
A scanned document saved as a PDF is essentially an image, meaning screen readers can’t interpret the text. To fix this, PDFs must contain real, selectable text rather than just images of words. If your PDF has scanned content, you can use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in tools like Adobe Acrobat or ABBYY FineReader to convert it into readable text.
2. Images Must Have Alternative Text (Alt Text)
A sighted user can understand images instantly, but a screen reader can’t unless an alt text description is added. Alt text provides a brief but meaningful description of the image, ensuring visually impaired users receive the same information. For example:
❌ Bad: “Image of a graph”
✔ Good: “A bar graph comparing 2023 and 2024 sales, showing a 15% increase”
3. Proper Heading Structure for Easy Navigation
Screen readers use headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to help users navigate through the document efficiently. Instead of just bolding or enlarging text, PDFs should use structured heading tags so assistive technologies can recognize them. A properly structured document should have:
- H1 for the document title
- H2 for major sections
- H3 for subsections
4. Logical Reading Order
The reading order of a document determines how a screen reader processes the content. If a PDF has multiple columns or sidebars, the text may not be read in the correct order. Using the Reading Order Tool in Adobe Acrobat ensures that the document flows logically from top to bottom, left to right.
5. Tagged PDFs (Hidden Structural Data for Accessibility)
A tagged PDF contains hidden structural data that helps assistive technology interpret headings, lists, tables, and paragraphs. Without tags, a PDF is just a visual layout with no underlying structure. You can check if a PDF is tagged in Adobe Acrobat under File > Properties > Description. If it’s not tagged, you can use Adobe’s Auto-Tag feature.
6. Keyboard and Screen Reader Compatibility
Some users rely on keyboard shortcuts instead of a mouse to navigate PDFs. An accessible PDF should allow users to:
✔ Tab through links, buttons, and form fields.
✔ Activate clickable elements using the Enter or Space key.
7. High Contrast for Readability
Text must be clearly visible against the background. A light gray font on a white background is hard to read. WCAG guidelines recommend a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
Tools to Check PDF Accessibility
Creating an accessible PDF is just the first step, checking its accessibility is equally important. Fortunately, several tools help identify and fix issues, ensuring your document is usable for everyone, including people with disabilities. Here are the best tools to check and improve PDF accessibility.
1. Adobe Acrobat Pro – The Gold Standard for PDF Accessibility
Adobe Acrobat Pro is one of the most powerful tools for checking and fixing PDF accessibility. It provides in-depth analysis and allows users to make corrections directly within the document.
Key Features:
✔ Check for Tags & Reading Order – Ensures content is structured properly for screen readers.
✔ Verify Alt Text – Checks whether images have meaningful descriptions.
✔ Run the Accessibility Check Tool – Automatically detects missing headings, untagged content, and keyboard navigation issues.
How to Run an Accessibility Check in Adobe Acrobat Pro:
1. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2. Go to Tools > Accessibility > Full Check.
3. Review the report, which highlights errors and warnings.
4. Use the Autotag feature or manually correct issues as needed.
For professionals working with PDFs regularly, Adobe Acrobat Pro is the best all-in-one solution for accessibility checks and fixes.
2. Microsoft Word – Fix Issues Before Exporting to PDF
Most PDFs are created from documents in Microsoft Word, so ensuring accessibility before exporting saves time and effort.
Key Features:
✔ Built-in Accessibility Checker – Scans Word documents for missing alt text, incorrect heading structures, and contrast issues.
✔ Structured Headings & Lists – Helps create a properly tagged PDF upon export.
✔ Table Accessibility Support – Ensures tables have column headers for screen readers.
How to Check Accessibility in Microsoft Word:
1. Open your document and go to Review > Check Accessibility.
2. Follow the recommendations to fix alt text, heading styles, and table structure.
3. When saving, choose File > Save As > PDF and ensure “Best for electronic distribution and accessibility” is selected.
This ensures that your exported PDF retains accessibility features rather than requiring fixes later.
3. PDF4Sure – Online PDF Accessibility Checker
PDF4Sure is a free, web-based tool that automatically scans and fixes accessibility issues in PDFs.
Key Features:
✔ Simple Upload & Scan Process – Just upload your PDF, and PDF4Sure detects issues automatically.
✔ Auto-Fixes Common Problems – Can tag unstructured documents, add missing alt text, and correct reading order.
✔ WCAG & Section 508 Compliance – Ensures documents meet legal accessibility standards.
How to Use PDF4Sure:
1. Visit PDF4Sure.com.
2. Upload your PDF file.
3. Click Check Accessibility and review the detailed report.
4. Download the fixed version or make manual adjustments.
4. Web-Based Accessibility Testers – External Compliance Checks
For an additional layer of verification, use independent accessibility checkers like:
a) WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool)
✔ Developed by WebAIM – A trusted accessibility organization.
✔ Checks contrast ratios, heading structure, and missing alt text.
✔ Works for web-based PDFs (hosted online).
b) PAC 2021 (PDF Accessibility Checker)
✔ Free, downloadable tool for Windows.
✔ Evaluates PDF compliance with WCAG & PDF/UA standards.
✔ Generates a detailed report with suggested fixes.
Checking PDF accessibility is not just about compliance—it’s about ensuring that everyone can access your content. Whether you prefer Adobe Acrobat Pro for full control, Microsoft Word for pre-export fixes, or free online tools like PDF4Sure, these options make accessibility easier than ever. By using these tools, you can detect and correct accessibility issues effortlessly, ensuring your PDFs are readable, navigable, and inclusive for all users!
How to Create an Accessible PDF (Step-by-Step)
Creating an accessible PDF isn’t just about making documents screen reader-friendly, it’s about ensuring everyone can navigate and understand the content. Follow these steps to create a fully accessible, user-friendly PDF from the start!
Step 1: Start with an Accessible Source File
The easiest way to create an accessible PDF is to begin with an accessible document before converting it.
✔ Use Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or PowerPoint and follow accessibility best practices:
- Apply structured headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) instead of just bold text.
- Use bullet points and numbered lists properly.
- Add alt text for images (Right-click → Add Alt Text).
✔ Use Built-in Accessibility Checkers
- In Word: Review > Check Accessibility
- In Google Docs: Use the Grackle Docs extension
- Once your document is structured correctly, export it as a tagged PDF to preserve accessibility features.
Step 2: Add Proper Document Tags
A tagged PDF provides an invisible structure that screen readers use to navigate content. Without tags, a PDF is just a flat file with no hierarchy.
How to Add Tags in Adobe Acrobat:
1. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2. Click Tools > Accessibility > Autotag Document.
3. Review the tags to ensure headings, paragraphs, tables, and lists are correctly structured.
Proper tagging makes it easier for assistive technologies to interpret the content logically.
Step 3: Ensure Text is Selectable & Searchable
If a PDF is scanned, it’s just an image, making it inaccessible to screen readers. Convert it into readable text using Optical Character Recognition (OCR).
How to Use OCR in Adobe Acrobat Pro:
1. Open the scanned PDF.
2. Go to Tools > Scan & OCR > Recognize Text.
3. Choose “Recognize Text in This File” and save.
This ensures that all text can be selected, copied, and read aloud.
Step 4: Add Alt Text for Images
Screen readers can’t interpret images, so you must provide alternative text (alt text) describing them.
How to Add Alt Text in Adobe Acrobat Pro:
1. Right-click an image and select Edit Alt Text.
2. Write a brief but meaningful description.
❌ Bad: “Graph”
✔ Good: “A line graph showing a 20% increase in sales from 2023 to 2024”
Every decorative image should be marked as an artifact so screen readers ignore it.
Step 5: Check Color Contrast & Font Readability
High Contrast is Essential:
- Use dark text on a light background (e.g., black text on white).
- Avoid light gray or pastel text on white, as it’s hard to read.
- Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker to ensure proper contrast.
Choose Readable Fonts:
- Stick to sans-serif fonts like Arial, Verdana, or Calibri.
- Avoid fancy, script, or handwritten fonts that are hard to read.
Step 6: Enable Keyboard Navigation
Some users can’t use a mouse and rely on keyboard shortcuts. An accessible PDF allows them to:
✔ Tab through links, form fields, and buttons.
✔ Activate interactive elements using Enter/Space keys.
✔ How to Test Keyboard Navigation:
- Open the PDF and press Tab to see if it highlights interactive elements in order.
- If it skips elements, use Adobe Acrobat’s Form Editing tool to adjust focus order.
Step 7: Run an Accessibility Check
Before finalizing your PDF, run an accessibility check to catch any remaining issues.
How to Check in Adobe Acrobat Pro:
1. Go to Tools > Accessibility > Full Check.
2. Review the error report and fix issues like missing tags or alt text.
Use Online Tools Like PDF4Sure:
- Upload your PDF.
- Get a detailed accessibility report.
- Download a fixed version if needed.
Fixing Common Accessibility Issues in PDFs
Even well-designed PDFs can have accessibility problems that make them difficult for people with disabilities to use. Here’s how to identify and fix the most common accessibility issues to ensure your document is fully inclusive.
Issue #1: PDF Text is an Image (Not Selectable or Searchable)
❌ Problem: If you can’t highlight or copy text in a PDF, it means the document is a scanned image, making it unreadable for screen readers.
✔ Fix: Use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to Convert to Editable Text
1. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2. Go to Tools > Scan & OCR > Recognize Text.
3. Select “Recognize Text in This File” and choose the correct language.
4. Save the document—it is now readable and searchable!
📌 Tip: If you don’t have Adobe Acrobat Pro, try free OCR tools like PDF4Sure or Tesseract OCR.
Issue #2: No Document Structure (Missing Headings & Tags)
❌ Problem: Without a clear heading structure, screen readers struggle to navigate the document, making it frustrating for users.
✔ Fix: Add Proper Tags and Headings
1. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2. Go to Tools > Accessibility > Autotag Document.
3. Manually check the structure by selecting Tags Panel.
4. Right-click any incorrect tag and select Properties to adjust it.
📌 Tip: Always use H1 for main titles, H2 for section headings, and H3 for subsections for a logical flow.
Issue #3: No Alt Text on Images
❌ Problem: Screen readers skip images without alt text, leaving visually impaired users without crucial information.
✔ Fix: Add Alt Text for All Non-Decorative Images
1. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2. Select an image, then go to Tools > Accessibility > Set Alternate Text.
3. Write a brief but meaningful description of the image.
4. If the image is decorative (e.g., a border), mark it as an artifact so screen readers ignore it.
📌 Tip: Avoid generic descriptions like “image” or “graph.” Instead, describe the content, e.g., “A pie chart showing company revenue growth from 2020 to 2024.”
Issue #4: Poor Color Contrast
❌ Problem: Low contrast (e.g., light gray text on a white background) makes reading difficult for visually impaired users.
✔ Fix: Adjust Colors to Meet WCAG Contrast Standards
1. Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker to test your PDF’s color contrast.
2. Ensure text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
3. Avoid using red and green together, as they can be hard to distinguish for colorblind users.
📌 Tip: Stick to black text on a white or light background for maximum readability.
By addressing these common issues, you’ll ensure your PDFs are accessible, readable, and compliant with WCAG and ADA standards. Small fixes can make a huge difference for users who rely on assistive technology!
Legal Compliance: ADA, WCAG, and Section 508
Ensuring PDF accessibility isn’t just about usability, it’s also a legal requirement in many cases. Governments, businesses, and organizations must comply with accessibility laws to ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities. Below are the key regulations that impact PDF accessibility.
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) – Digital Accessibility is a Must
The ADA (1990) prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, including in digital content such as PDFs, websites, and mobile applications.
Who Needs to Comply?
- Government agencies, educational institutions, businesses, and public organizations.
- Any company providing PDF-based documents like invoices, reports, brochures, or applications.
What Does ADA Require for PDFs?
- PDFs must be readable by screen readers (text must be selectable, not an image).
- Documents must include alt text for images.
- PDFs must be keyboard-navigable.
- Content should follow logical reading order.
📌 Failure to comply can result in lawsuits and hefty fines!
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) – The Global Standard
The WCAG (currently WCAG 2.1) provides internationally recognized guidelines for digital accessibility. It applies to PDFs, websites, and digital documents.
The Four WCAG Principles for PDFs:
1. Perceivable – Content must be readable and understandable (e.g., no images of text).
2. Operable – Users must be able to navigate the document without a mouse.
3. Understandable – Content must be clearly structured with headings, alt text, and logical reading order.
4. Robust – PDFs should work with screen readers, assistive technology, and different devices.
📌 Key Requirement: PDFs must pass accessibility checks to comply with WCAG!
Section 508 – Mandatory for U.S. Government Documents
Section 508 is a federal law requiring all U.S. government agencies to provide accessible digital content.
Who Needs to Comply?
- Federal agencies, contractors, and organizations working with government documents.
- Public services that provide PDF-based reports, policies, or forms.
PDF Accessibility Under Section 508:
- All PDFs must be screen-reader-friendly.
- Must include alt text, proper tags, and logical structure.
- Forms and interactive PDFs must be keyboard-accessible.
📌 Failing to comply can result in contract penalties and loss of funding.
Whether you’re a business, a university, or a government agency, PDF accessibility is a legal requirement. Following ADA, WCAG, and Section 508 ensures compliance while improving usability for all users!
Conclusion
Creating accessible PDFs isn’t just about legal compliance, it ensures everyone, including people with disabilities, can read, navigate, and interact with digital documents.
Recap:
- PDF accessibility = better usability + legal compliance.
- Key steps: Use structured content, alt text, proper tags, and high contrast.
- Legal standards: ADA, WCAG, and Section 508 require accessible digital content.
Want a hassle-free way to check and fix PDF accessibility? Try PDF4Sure for an instant accessibility report and automated fixes!
FAQs
Got questions about PDF accessibility? Here are answers to some of the most common concerns!
1. How do I test if my PDF is accessible?
✔ Use Adobe Acrobat Pro → Run Accessibility Check.
✔ Try PDF4Sure for an automatic scan.
✔ Use free tools like WAVE or PAC 2021 to detect issues.
2. What’s the easiest way to add alt text in a PDF?
✔ Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
✔ Select an image → Right-click > Edit Alt Text.
✔ Write a clear, concise description of the image.
📌 Tip: If the image is decorative, mark it as an artifact so screen readers ignore it.
3. Can I fix an old scanned PDF to make it accessible?
✔ Yes! Use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) in Adobe Acrobat Pro:
1. Tools > Scan & OCR > Recognize Text.
2. Convert scanned images into selectable, readable text.
📌 Tip: After running OCR, add tags, alt text, and headings for full accessibility.
4. Does an accessible PDF look different from a normal PDF?
No! Visually, an accessible PDF looks the same as any other PDF.
✔ The difference is in the backend structure, which helps screen readers navigate the document correctly.
5. How do I make a fillable form accessible?
✔ Use Adobe Acrobat’s Form Editing Tool.
✔ Add labels to form fields so screen readers can identify them.
✔ Ensure tab order is logical for keyboard navigation.
📌 Tip: Always test the form using only the Tab key to check navigation!