PDF Accessibility: How to Create and Remediate Accessible PDFs for WCAG Compliance

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·11 min read

PDFs are ubiquitous—from forms and reports to brochures and ebooks. Yet PDFs are frequently cited in ADA lawsuits and accessibility audits as major barriers for users with disabilities. Creating accessible PDFs that meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements requires proper tagging, structure, and navigation. This comprehensive guide covers creating accessible PDFs from scratch, remediating existing PDFs, and testing for compliance.

Why PDF Accessibility Matters

61% of PDFs on government sites are inaccessible (WebAIM study)

55% of ADA website lawsuits cite inaccessible PDFs

Barriers created:

  • Screen readers can't read untagged PDFs
  • Navigation impossible without proper structure
  • Forms can't be completed
  • Content reading order illogical

Legal requirement: WCAG 2.0/2.1 Level AA applies to PDFs under ADA, Section 508, AODA, and international regulations

WCAG Requirements for PDFs

Key Success Criteria

1.1.1 Non-text Content: Images need alt text

1.3.1 Info and Relationships: Proper document structure (headings, lists, tables)

1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence: Logical reading order

1.4.3 Contrast: Text must have 4.5:1 contrast

2.1.1 Keyboard: All functionality keyboard accessible

2.4.2 Page Titled: Document has descriptive title

3.1.1 Language: Document language specified

4.1.2 Name, Role, Value: Form fields have labels

Tagged vs. Untagged PDFs

Untagged PDFs (Inaccessible)

How created: Scan documents, export from design software without accessibility options

Characteristics:

  • No document structure
  • Screen readers read in arbitrary order
  • Images have no descriptions
  • Forms can't be filled
  • Navigation impossible

Screen reader experience: "Blank" or random character strings

Tagged PDFs (Accessible)

How created: Export from authoring tools with tagging enabled, or manually tag in Acrobat Pro

Characteristics:

  • Proper document structure (headings, paragraphs, lists)
  • Logical reading order
  • Alt text on images
  • Labeled form fields
  • Bookmarks for navigation

Screen reader experience: Content reads logically with proper structure announced

Creating Accessible PDFs from Microsoft Word

Step 1: Use Proper Styles

Critical: Use built-in styles, not manual formatting

Headings:

Use: Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3
Don't: Bold + large font

Lists:

Use: Bullet/numbered list formatting
Don't: Asterisks or numbers typed manually

Tables:

Use: Insert > Table
Don't: Text aligned with tabs

Step 2: Add Alt Text to Images

  1. Right-click image
  2. Select "View Alt Text" or "Format Picture"
  3. Enter description in Alt Text field
  4. Mark decorative images as decorative

Good alt text: "Bar chart showing 40% increase in sales from 2023 to 2024"

Bad alt text: "Chart1.png" or "Image"

Step 3: Set Document Properties

File > Info > Properties:

  • Title: Document title (shows in screen reader)
  • Author: Document author
  • Subject: Brief description
  • Language: Select primary language

Step 4: Check Reading Order

Reading order should match logical flow (top to bottom, left to right, multi-column flows correctly)

Check: Review > Check Accessibility in Word

Step 5: Create Accessible Tables

  • Use first row as headers
  • Check "Header Row" in Table Design
  • Don't merge/split cells unnecessarily
  • Provide table caption/description if complex

Step 6: Ensure Color Contrast

  • Text: 4.5:1 minimum contrast
  • Large text (18pt or 14pt bold): 3:1 minimum
  • Use tools: WebAIM Contrast Checker

Step 7: Add Form Field Labels

If creating fillable form:

  • Use Developer tab > Controls
  • Ensure each field has label

Step 8: Export as Tagged PDF

File > Save As > PDF

Critical: Check "Document structure tags for accessibility"

Adobe PDF Options:

  • ☑ Document structure tags for accessibility
  • ☑ Create bookmarks
  • Select appropriate PDF/UA standard if available

Creating Accessible PDFs from Adobe InDesign

Step 1: Structure Content with Styles

Use Paragraph Styles for headings, body text

Create style hierarchy:

  • Heading 1
  • Heading 2
  • Heading 3
  • Body Text
  • Lists

Step 2: Tag Export Order

Object > Articles Panel

Drag elements into correct reading order

Step 3: Add Alt Text

Object > Object Export Options > Alt Text tab

Custom: Enter description From Structure: Use if text description exists elsewhere Decorative: Mark decorative images

Step 4: Define Table Structure

Mark header rows/columns in Table Options

Step 5: Set PDF Export Options

File > Export > Adobe PDF (Interactive or Print)

Create Tagged PDF: ☑ Checked

View PDF after Exporting: Helpful for immediate check

Remediating Existing PDFs

When Remediation is Needed

  • Scanned documents (images of pages)
  • PDFs created without accessibility
  • Legacy documents
  • Third-party PDFs

Remediation Process

Tool needed: Adobe Acrobat Pro (not free Reader)

Step 1: Run Accessibility Check

Tools > Accessibility > Full Check

Generates report of issues

Step 2: Add Tags (if untagged)

Tools > Accessibility > Auto tag Document

Warning: Auto-tagging is starting point, not final solution. Manual fixes required.

Step 3: Set Document Language

File > Properties > Advanced

Set "Language" to primary language

Step 4: Add/Edit Document Title

File > Properties > Description

Enter descriptive title

Step 5: Fix Reading Order

Tools > Accessibility > Reading Order

Visual overlay shows tag order

Fix:

  • Drag elements to reorder
  • Assign correct tags (Heading, Text, Figure, etc.)
  • Remove background/decorative elements

Step 6: Add Alt Text to Images

Find images: Accessibility Checker report

For each image:

  1. Right-click
  2. "Edit Alternate Text"
  3. Enter description or mark decorative

Step 7: Tag Tables

Manually tag tables:

  • Right-click table
  • Properties
  • Mark header rows/columns
  • Set scope

Step 8: Fix Form Fields

Prepare Form > Add fields

Each field needs:

  • Name (required)
  • Tooltip (serves as label for screen readers)
  • Tab order

Step 9: Create Bookmarks

For long documents, add bookmarks for navigation:

  • Headings should generate bookmarks
  • Tools > Accessibility > Auto tag Document includes bookmarks
  • Manually add via Bookmarks panel

Step 10: Verify with Screen Reader

Test with NVDA or JAWS:

  • Does content read in logical order?
  • Are headings announced?
  • Can forms be completed?
  • Are images described?

Scanned Documents Special Case

Problem: Scanned PDFs are images, not text.

Solution: OCR (Optical Character Recognition)

In Acrobat Pro:

  1. Tools > Scan & OCR > Recognize Text > In This File
  2. Select language
  3. Run OCR
  4. Review and correct OCR errors
  5. Follow remediation steps above

Quality: OCR isn't perfect—manual review essential.

Alternative: If original source available, recreate from source document instead of remediating scan.

PDF Forms Accessibility

Form Field Requirements

Every field needs:

  • Tooltip: Acts as label for screen readers
  • Name: Internal identifier
  • Tab order: Logical navigation sequence
  • Required field indication: If applicable

Creating Accessible Forms

Prepare Form tool in Acrobat Pro:

  1. Tools > Prepare Form
  2. Auto-detect form fields (starting point)
  3. Manually adjust:
    • Add missing fields
    • Set tooltips
    • Arrange tab order
    • Set field properties

Form Field Best Practices

Text fields:

  • Descriptive tooltip: "First name"
  • Appropriate keyboard type
  • Format requirements in tooltip

Checkboxes/Radio buttons:

  • Tooltip describes choice
  • Group related radios
  • Export value set

Buttons:

  • Tooltip describes action
  • "Submit Form", "Reset Form", "Calculate Total"

Dropdowns:

  • Tooltip describes field purpose
  • Options have clear text
  • Default option if needed

Error Handling in PDF Forms

JavaScript validation:

  • Provide clear error messages
  • Don't just prevent submission without explanation
  • Announce errors to screen readers

Testing PDF Accessibility

Adobe Acrobat Pro Accessibility Checker

Tools > Accessibility > Full Check

Select:

  • WCAG 2.0 Level AA
  • Section 508 (if applicable)

Report shows:

  • Passed checks (green)
  • Failed checks (red)
  • Needs manual check (question mark)
  • Skipped (blue)

Address all failures and manual checks

PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker)

Free tool from Access-for-All foundation

Download: access-for-all.ch

Tests:

  • PDF/UA compliance
  • WCAG 2.0 Level AA
  • Machine-readable report

More stringent than Acrobat checker

Use for: Final validation

Screen Reader Testing

Critical: Tools can't fully validate accessibility.

Test with NVDA or JAWS:

  1. Open PDF in Acrobat Reader
  2. Start screen reader
  3. Navigate document:
    • Tab through headings (H key)
    • Read sequentially (down arrow)
    • Navigate by form fields (F key)
  4. Verify:
    • Reading order logical
    • Headings announced correctly
    • Images have descriptions
    • Forms can be completed
    • Tables make sense

Keyboard Navigation Testing

  1. Open PDF
  2. Use Tab key only (no mouse)
  3. Verify:
    • Can navigate all links
    • Can complete all form fields
    • Tab order is logical
    • No keyboard traps

Common PDF Accessibility Issues

Issue 1: Scanned Documents

Problem: Image of text, not selectable text

Fix: OCR + manual remediation

Issue 2: Missing Tags

Problem: Untagged PDF

Fix: Auto-tag + manual cleanup in Acrobat Pro

Issue 3: Incorrect Reading Order

Problem: Columns/sidebars read in wrong order

Fix: Reading Order tool to reorder tags

Issue 4: No Alt Text on Images

Problem: Images unmarked or unlabeled

Fix: Add alt text or mark decorative

Issue 5: Forms Without Labels

Problem: Form fields lack tooltips

Fix: Add tooltip to each field

Issue 6: Poor Color Contrast

Problem: Text doesn't meet 4.5:1 contrast

Fix: Recreate with sufficient contrast colors

Issue 7: Tables Without Headers

Problem: Data tables lack structure

Fix: Manually tag table structure with headers

Issue 8: No Document Title

Problem: Title property empty

Fix: Set in Document Properties

PDF Accessibility Checklist

  • [ ] Document is tagged (not scanned image)
  • [ ] Document language set
  • [ ] Document title set in properties
  • [ ] Logical reading order
  • [ ] Heading structure correct (H1, H2, H3...)
  • [ ] All images have alt text or marked decorative
  • [ ] Color contrast meets 4.5:1
  • [ ] Tables have headers defined
  • [ ] Lists properly tagged as lists
  • [ ] Bookmarks created for long documents
  • [ ] Form fields have tooltips (if form)
  • [ ] Tab order is logical (if form)
  • [ ] Links have descriptive text
  • [ ] Passes Adobe Acrobat Full Check
  • [ ] Passes PAC validation
  • [ ] Tested with screen reader
  • [ ] Keyboard navigation works

Alternatives to PDFs

When to Avoid PDFs

Consider HTML instead for:

  • Web content that doesn't need printing
  • Content that updates frequently
  • Interactive content beyond forms
  • Content consumed primarily online

Benefits of HTML:

  • Natively more accessible
  • Responsive to screen sizes
  • Easier to update
  • Better for SEO

When PDFs Are Appropriate

  • Official documents requiring fixed format
  • Printable forms
  • Reports, white papers, ebooks
  • Documents requiring signatures
  • Content requiring consistent pagination

Providing Both Formats

Best practice: Offer both accessible PDF and HTML version

Example: "Annual Report: [View HTML] [Download PDF]"

Tools and Resources

Creation Tools

Microsoft Word: Built-in accessibility checker and tagged PDF export

Adobe InDesign: Professional layout tool with PDF/UA export

LaTeX: Can generate tagged PDFs with accessibility package

Google Docs: Limited PDF tagging, better to use Word

Remediation Tools

Adobe Acrobat Pro: Industry standard ($180/year)

Foxit PhantomPDF: Alternative to Acrobat

Testing Tools

PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker): Free, comprehensive

Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker: Built into Pro

NVDA + Adobe Reader: Screen reader testing

Learning Resources

Adobe Accessibility: adobe.com/accessibility

WebAIM PDF Accessibility: webaim.org/techniques/acrobat/

Section 508 PDF Guidance: section508.gov

Conclusion

PDF accessibility requires proper document structure, tagging, alternative text, and logical reading order. Creating accessible PDFs from authoring tools (Word, InDesign) is far easier than remediating existing PDFs, so build accessibility in from the start.

Key requirements for accessible PDFs:

  • Tagged document structure
  • Logical reading order
  • Alt text on images
  • Proper heading hierarchy
  • Labeled form fields
  • Keyboard accessibility
  • 4.5:1 color contrast

Use Adobe Acrobat Pro for remediation, validate with PAC and screen readers, and provide HTML alternatives when appropriate. For ongoing compliance, monitor all PDFs on your site with tools like BrowseCheck to catch accessibility issues before they affect users.

PDFs are often the most inaccessible content on websites—and the most frequently cited in accessibility lawsuits. Prioritize PDF accessibility to reduce legal risk and ensure all users can access your documents.

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