PDF Accessibility: How to Make PDFs That Everyone Can Read

An estimated 2.2 billion people worldwide have some form of vision impairment, and hundreds of millions more use assistive technology due to other disabilities. When you create a PDF that isn't accessible, you're excluding a significant portion of your potential audience — and potentially violating legal requirements in many jurisdictions.

What Is an Accessible PDF?

An accessible PDF is one that can be read and navigated by assistive technologies like screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver), magnification software, and alternative input devices. It's structured so that:

• Content is presented in a logical reading order.
• Images have descriptive alternative text.
• Tables have proper headers.
• Form fields are properly labeled.
• The document's language is specified.
• Headings are used correctly to create a navigable structure.

The PDF/UA Standard

PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility), standardized as ISO 14289, is the definitive technical standard for accessible PDFs. A PDF/UA-compliant document must be:

• Tagged: Every content element (paragraph, heading, image, table) has a structure tag.
• Logically ordered: The tag structure reflects the correct reading order.
• Alternative text provided: All significant images, charts, and non-text elements have text descriptions.
• Language specified: The document's primary language is declared.
• Navigation provided: Bookmarks for documents longer than 9 pages.
• No flashing content: Content that flashes at 3–50 Hz is not permitted.

Legal Requirements for PDF Accessibility

PDF accessibility is not just a best practice — it's a legal requirement in many contexts:

• United States: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies to make electronic information accessible. The ADA has been interpreted by courts to require web and document accessibility for businesses serving the public.
• European Union: The Web Accessibility Directive (EU 2016/2102) requires public sector bodies to ensure their documents are accessible.
• Canada: AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) requires accessible documents for organizations operating in Ontario.

How to Create an Accessible PDF from Word

Step 1: Use Proper Heading Styles in Word

Use Word's built-in heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) rather than manually bolding and enlarging text. These styles map to PDF heading tags (H1, H2) automatically during export, enabling screen reader users to navigate by heading.

Step 2: Add Alt Text to All Images

Right-click any image in Word, select "Edit Alt Text," and write a concise description. For decorative images that don't add information, mark them as decorative — screen readers will skip them.

Step 3: Create Accessible Tables

Use Word's table features properly: designate the header row (Table Properties → Row → Repeat as header row). Avoid merged cells where possible, as they confuse screen readers. Don't use tables for visual layout.

Step 4: Use Descriptive Hyperlink Text

Instead of "click here" or pasting raw URLs, use descriptive link text: "Download the annual report" or "Visit the contact page." This context is crucial for screen reader users who navigate by links.

Step 5: Export with Accessibility Options

When saving as PDF from Word, go to Options and ensure "Document structure tags for accessibility" is checked. This tells Word to include the structural tagging that makes the PDF accessible.

Step 6: Verify with Acrobat's Accessibility Checker

In Adobe Acrobat Pro: Tools → Accessibility → Accessibility Check. This automated tool identifies common issues. Fix anything flagged, then run a manual check by actually navigating the document with a screen reader or keyboard-only navigation.

Common Accessibility Failures to Avoid

Failure	Impact	Fix
Scanned image PDF (no text)	Screen reader reads nothing	Run OCR to add text layer
Missing document title	Screen reader announces filename	Add title in File → Properties
Wrong reading order	Content read in confusing sequence	Fix tag order in Acrobat
Color as only indicator	Colorblind users miss information	Add text labels or patterns
Low color contrast	Low vision users can't read text	Ensure 4.5:1 minimum contrast ratio