How to Make Your PDFs Accessible

PDFs are a convenient way to share information. But if they aren’t structured properly, they can create barriers for people using screen readers or keyboard navigation. That’s why it’s important to make your PDFs accessible, so everyone can read them.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to make your PDFs accessible. We’ll cover the essential steps to ensure your documents can be read and understood by everyone, and share best practices for creating PDFs so accessibility is built in from the start.

How to Make Your PDFs Accessible

When it comes to making a PDF accessible, there are usually two situations:

• You have the original file (for example, in Word or Google Docs).
• You only have the final PDF and no access to the source file.

The approach depends on your situation. If you have the source file, fix accessibility issues there before exporting to PDF. If you only have the PDF, you’ll need to remediate it directly using a tool such as Adobe Acrobat Pro, which comes at a cost.

Case 1: You Have the Original File

If you have the original file, the best approach is to fix accessibility issues there before converting it into a PDF. Most authoring tools, like Word and Google Docs, include accessibility features. When you apply them, those improvements carry over into the exported PDF.

Here are the 9 steps to follow in your source document:

Step 1: Use proper heading styles

What to do: Structure content with heading styles, not just bold or large text.
Why: Screen readers rely on headings to navigate documents.
How to do it:

• Word: Highlight text → Home → Styles → Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.
• Google Docs: Highlight text → Format → Paragraph styles → Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.

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Step 2: Add alternative text to images

What to do: Add alt text for meaningful images; mark decorative ones.
Why: Alt text allows screen readers to describe visuals to users.
How to do it:

• Word: Right-click image → Edit Alt Text → type description.
• Google Docs: Right-click image → Alt text → fill in Title and Description.

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Step 3: Ensure colour contrast

What to do: Make sure the text has enough contrast with its background.
Why: Low contrast text is hard to read for users with low vision or colour blindness.
How to do it:

• Word: Review → Check Accessibility → fix flagged contrast issues.
• Google Docs: Use a free checker like WebYes Colour Contrast Checker.

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Step 4: Create simple tables with headers

What to do: Use tables for data only, with defined headers.
Why: Screen readers use headers to interpret table structure.
How to do it:

• Mark the first row (and columns if needed) as headers so screen readers can read and navigate the table correctly.
• Avoid merged or split cells, as they can break the table structure for assistive technologies.

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Step 5: Use built-in list formatting

What to do: Use bulleted or numbered lists instead of typing dashes or numbers manually.
Why: Built-in lists are recognised by screen readers as structured content.
How to do it:

• Word: Highlight items → Home → Bullets/Numbering.
• Google Docs: Highlight items → Format → Bullets & numbering.

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Step 6: Use descriptive link text

What to do: Replace vague text (“Click here”) with meaningful links.
Why: Screen readers often read links out of context.
How to do it:

• Write link text that clearly describes the destination or action, such as Download Annual Report instead of Click here.
• Make sure link text makes sense on its own, since screen readers can pull out links into a list without surrounding context.

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Step 7: Set the document language

What to do: Define the document’s primary language.
Why: Screen readers need it to pronounce words correctly.
How to do it:

• Word: Review → Language → Set Proofing Language.
• Google Docs: File → Language → choose language.

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Step 8: Run the Accessibility Checker (if available)

What to do: Use the built-in checker before exporting.
Why: It catches common accessibility issues you may miss.
How to do it:

• Word: Review → Check Accessibility.
• Google Docs: Use third-party add-ons (Docs doesn’t have a built-in checker).

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Step 9: Save and export as an accessible PDF

What to do: Export the file as a tagged PDF to preserve accessibility features.
Why: If you don’t export with tags, all your accessibility work may be lost in the PDF.
How to do it:

• Word: File → Save As → PDF → Options → check “Document structure tags for accessibility.”
• Google Docs: File → Download → PDF Document (.pdf).

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Case 2: You Only Have the PDF

If you don’t have the original file, you’ll need to remediate the PDF itself. For this, you’ll need a tool that allows editing of accessibility features. Adobe Acrobat Pro is the most recommended tool. It’s paid ($20/month), but it provides everything you need to make PDFs accessible.

Here are the 7 simple steps to remediate a PDF in Acrobat Pro:

Step 1: Use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on scanned PDFs

What to do: Convert image-only PDFs into selectable, readable text.

Why: Without OCR, screen readers see scanned text as images and cannot read it.

How to do it: Go to All tools → Scan & OCR → In this file. Apply it to the whole document and select the correct language.

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Step 2: Add document metadata

What to do: Add a descriptive title, author, subject, and keywords.

Why: Screen readers and search tools use metadata to introduce and identify the document.

How to do it: Right-click inside Acrobat → Document properties → Description tab → fill in the fields.

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Step 3: Define the document language

What to do: Specify the primary language of the PDF.

Why: Screen readers rely on this to pronounce words correctly.

How to do it: Document properties → Advanced tab → Reading options → Language.

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Step 4: Adjust security settings

What to do: Ensure security does not block accessibility features.

Why: If security blocks content copying, assistive tech may not be able to read the text.

How to do it: Document properties → Security tab → Security Method → No Security.

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Step 5: Add alternative text to images

What to do: Provide descriptions for meaningful images.

Why: Visually-impaired users need text descriptions to understand visuals.

How to do it: Go to All tools → Prepare for accessibility → Add alternate text. Write short, clear descriptions. Mark decorative images as artefacts.

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Step 6: Add tags

What to do: Ensure the document has proper tags (headings, paragraphs, lists, tables).

Why: Tags define structure so screen readers can navigate the PDF logically.

How to do it: Go to All tools → Prepare for accessibility → Automatically tag PDF. Acrobat will generate tags automatically. Review them to make sure they’re correct.

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Step 7: Make form fields accessible

What to do: Detect and label all form fields so they work properly with assistive technology.

Why: Without labels and tooltips, screen readers can’t tell users what each form field is for, making the form unusable.

How to do it: Go to All tools → Prepare for accessibility → Identify form fields. Acrobat will try to detect fields automatically. Review each one, add tooltips, and check that the tab order matches the visual layout.

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Step 8: Arrange the reading order

What to do: Make sure the content flows in a logical sequence (top to bottom, left to right).

Why: If the order is wrong, screen readers may jump around and read sidebars, captions, or footers out of place. This makes the PDF confusing or hard to follow.

How to do it: Go to All tools → Prepare for accessibility → Fix reading order. Acrobat will highlight the current sequence on the page. Drag to reorder items or adjust them in the Order panel. Assign regions as headings, paragraphs, or figures if needed.

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Step 9: Check accessibility

What to do: Run Acrobat’s Accessibility Checker after you make changes.

Why: The report highlights issues that still need attention.

How to do it: Go to All tools → Prepare for accessibility → Check for accessibility. Review the report and fix any issues it flags to ensure the PDF meets accessibility standards.

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Accessibility Best Practices to Keep in Mind

Fixing accessibility in a finished PDF can be time-consuming. A much smarter approach is to think about accessibility while you’re creating the document. That way, when you export to PDF, most of the work will carry over automatically, saving you time and effort later.

Here are some practices to follow:

Best Practice	How to Apply It
Start with accessible source files	Use accessibility features in Word, Google Docs, or InDesign before converting to PDF.
Keep layouts simple	Avoid complex designs and text boxes that disrupt reading order.
Use real text, not images of text	Screen readers can’t read images. Always type text directly or run OCR if needed.
Add alt text as you go	Write descriptions for images, charts, and diagrams while creating the document.
Choose accessible fonts and colours	Stick to clear fonts and maintain high contrast between text and background.
Use descriptive link text	Replace vague phrases like “Click here” with links that explain their destination.
Tag content properly	Apply tags to headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, and images so screen readers can interpret the structure.
Check accessibility before exporting	Run the built-in accessibility checker in your authoring tool.

Wrapping Up

PDFs are often the final format for reports, guides, and forms, but without accessibility features, they can exclude readers who rely on assistive technology.

By using the steps in this guide, whether you’re working from the original file or remediating the PDF itself, you can make sure your PDFs are usable for everyone.

Ideally, you should build in accessibility from the start, so when you export to PDF, most of the work is already done and your file is ready to use.