PDF Accessibility: The Complete Checklist

PDFs are everywhere—reports, forms, whitepapers, and more. But for users with disabilities, inaccessible PDFs can be completely unusable. Here's how to make your PDFs accessible.

Why PDF Accessibility Matters

• Legal risk: PDFs are covered under ADA requirements
• User exclusion: 1 in 5 users has difficulty with inaccessible documents
• Searchability: Accessible PDFs are easier to index and search

The PDF Accessibility Checklist

1. Document Structure

Structural Elements

• ✓Use proper heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3...)
• ✓Add bookmarks/navigation panel
• ✓Mark reading order correctly
• ✓Include a table of contents for long documents
• ✓Use logical reading sequence

2. Text and Content

• Real text, not images: Scan documents and use OCR
• Embedded fonts: Don't rely on system fonts
• Sufficient contrast: Text stands out from background

3. Images and Graphics

• Alt text: Describe all meaningful images
• Complex images: Provide long descriptions
• Decorative images: Mark as artifacts

4. Tables

• Use proper table structure (rows, headers)
• Specify header cells correctly
• Avoid merged cells when possible
• Include summary descriptions for complex tables

5. Links

• Descriptive link text (avoid "click here")
• Links should make sense out of context
• Verify all links work

6. Forms

• Label all form fields
• Provide clear instructions
• Mark required fields
• Include error identification

7. Color

• Don't rely on color alone
• Provide sufficient contrast
• Consider colorblind users

How to Create Accessible PDFs

From Microsoft Word

1. Use Styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.)
2. Add alt text to images
3. Use tables properly
4. Enable "Check Accessibility" in Word
5. Save as PDF using "Best for accessibility"

From Adobe Acrobat Pro

1. Run "Make Accessible" action
2. Add/fix tags
3. Set reading order
4. Add alt text
5. Run accessibility checker

From Other Tools

• Google Docs: Download as PDF, but review tags
• InDesign: Use article structure and export settings

Testing Your PDFs

Automated Testing

ADA Scout can scan your PDFs for:

• Missing tags
• Missing alt text
• Scan quality issues
• Reading order problems

Manual Testing

1. Open in Adobe Acrobat Reader
2. Try to navigate with keyboard only
3. Use screen reader (NVDA, VoiceOver)
4. Check reading order in tags panel

Common PDF Issues and Fixes

Issue	Solution
Scanned document	Run OCR to extract text
Missing tags	Use "Make Accessible" in Acrobat
No alt text	Add via TouchUp Reading Order
Poor contrast	Adjust colors in source
Tables without headers	Add table structure in Acrobat

The Bottom Line

Accessible PDFs require upfront effort but save time and reduce legal risk long-term. Use this checklist to ensure your documents work for everyone—and let ADA Scout help identify issues automatically.