Accessible PDF: Complete Guide to Creating Inclusive Documents

What Is an Accessible PDF and Why Should You Care?

Think of a PDF as a building. You can have the most stunning facade in the world, but if there is no ramp or elevator, many people simply cannot get in. An accessible PDF is that same document, but with the doors wide open for everyone: blind people using screen readers like JAWS or NVDA, people with low vision who need to enlarge text, and people with cognitive disabilities who require a clear structure.

Personally, I believe the accessible PDF is one of the great forgotten areas of digital accessibility. Companies invest thousands in making their websites accessible, then publish catalogs, annual reports, and forms in PDFs that are completely inaccessible. Sound familiar? It is like renovating your entire house and leaving the front door locked.

According to the PDF/UA Foundation’s 2025 report, more than 90% of PDF documents published on the internet fail to meet minimum accessibility standards. This affects over 1.3 billion people with disabilities worldwide, according to WHO data. The European Accessibility Act (EAA), fully applicable since June 2025, requires digital documents published by businesses to be accessible.

The PDF/UA Standard: Foundation of Every Accessible PDF

Have you heard of the PDF/UA standard? It stands for PDF/Universal Accessibility, defined by ISO 14289. It is essentially the “WCAG for PDFs”: a set of technical requirements a PDF must meet to be considered accessible.

PDF/UA-1 vs PDF/UA-2: Key Differences

Two versions of the standard currently coexist, and understanding their differences is essential if you work with accessible documents:

Personally, I think PDF/UA-2 is a massive leap forward. Its native MathML support means complex mathematical formulas can be read correctly by screen readers—something that was virtually impossible with PDF/UA-1. If you are starting a project from scratch in 2026, aim directly for PDF/UA-2.

How to Create an Accessible PDF from the Source

Do you know the most common mistake I see? People who create a document in Word with no structure at all, export it to PDF, and then try to “make it accessible.” It is like baking a cake without flour and then trying to add it on top afterward. Accessibility starts in the source document.

Step 1: Semantic Structure in the Source Document

• Use hierarchical heading styles (H1, H2, H3) in your word processor. Do not just make text bigger and bold.
• Add alternative text to all images directly in Word, InDesign, or Google Docs.
• Use real formatted lists (native bullet or numbered lists), not manual asterisks or dashes.
• Define row and column headers in tables.
• Set the document language and language for foreign-language passages.

Step 2: Correct Export to PDF

In Microsoft Word, use “Save as PDF” with the “Optimized for accessibility” or “Document structure tags” option enabled. In Adobe InDesign, export with the “Create Tagged PDF” checkbox selected. Google Docs’ PDF export preserves some structure but typically requires post-export review.

Step 3: Review and Tagging in Adobe Acrobat Pro

Adobe Acrobat Pro remains the reference tool for accessible PDF tagging. Its Tags panel lets you view and modify the entire document structure:

• Verify that the reading order is logical (Order panel).
• Add or correct tags (<P>, <H1>, <Table>, <Figure>, <L>, <LI>).
• Mark decorative content as “artifact” so screen readers ignore it.
• Set the document language under Properties > Advanced.
• Add alternative text to figures from the tag properties.

Acrobat Pro’s “Accessibility Check” runs over 30 automated verifications that detect issues like images without alt text, tables without defined headers, and untagged content.

PDF Remediation: How to Fix an Existing PDF

Do you have hundreds of published PDFs that are not accessible? Welcome to the world of PDF remediation. It is like refurbishing an old building: it requires patience, technical knowledge, and the right tools.

Professional Remediation Tools

Among all these tools, PAC 2024 (PDF Accessibility Checker) deserves special mention. It is the only free tool that verifies PDF/UA-1 conformance and already offers partial support for PDF/UA-2. You can download it from the PDF/UA Foundation website. If you are just getting started, PAC 2024 plus Adobe Acrobat Pro is the minimum combination you need.

Step-by-Step Remediation Workflow

• 1. Analyze the PDF with PAC 2024 to get an error report.
• 2. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro and activate the Tags panel.
• 3. Fix reading order by dragging elements in the Content panel.
• 4. Tag all elements: headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, figures.
• 5. Mark decorative elements (page numbers, borders, lines) as artifacts.
• 6. Add alternative text to all informative images.
• 7. Define row/column headers in every table.
• 8. Set the document language and language for foreign passages.
• 9. Re-run PAC 2024 to verify errors have been corrected.
• 10. Test with a real screen reader (NVDA is free).

Most Common Errors in Inaccessible PDFs

After remediating hundreds of documents, these are the errors I encounter time and again:

• Scanned PDF without OCR: the document is an image with no real text. Solution: apply OCR with Acrobat Pro or ABBYY FineReader.
• Complete absence of tags: the PDF has no semantic structure. Everything must be tagged manually.
• Incorrect reading order: content is read in a nonsensical sequence. Common in multi-column PDFs.
• Tables without headers: screen readers cannot associate data with categories.
• Images without alt text: an absolute barrier for blind users.
• Language not defined: the screen reader does not know which language to use for pronunciation.
• Unlabeled form fields: form fields do not indicate what information is required.