PDF Accessibility Guide — Making Documents Inclusive

Common PDF Accessibility Barriers

• Image-only PDFs: Scanned documents without OCR are invisible to screen readers. The tool sees an image, not text.
• Missing reading order: Multi-column layouts, sidebars, and floating elements can cause screen readers to read content in the wrong sequence.
• No alt text on images: Charts, diagrams, and photos without descriptions are meaningless to users who cannot see them.
• Missing document title: Screen readers announce the document title. Without one, they read the filename instead, which is often unhelpful.
• Poor color contrast: Light text on light backgrounds is difficult for users with low vision to read.

Steps to Improve PDF Accessibility

1. Add a text layer. If the PDF is scanned, run it through the OCR PDF tool to create a searchable text layer that screen readers can interpret.
2. Set document metadata. Use the PDF Metadata tool to add a descriptive title, author, subject, and language tag.
3. Annotate for context. Use the Annotate PDF tool to add text descriptions near images and charts for additional context.
4. Flatten complex layers. Use Flatten PDF to simplify documents with overlapping layers that may confuse assistive technology.
5. Test with a screen reader. Open the PDF in a screen reader (NVDA on Windows, VoiceOver on Mac) to verify the reading experience.

Legal Requirements for Accessible PDFs

In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act require that electronic documents be accessible. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA is the most commonly referenced standard. In the EU, the European Accessibility Act imposes similar requirements.

These requirements apply to government agencies, public universities, healthcare organizations, and any entity that serves the public. Many private businesses are also subject to ADA requirements. Non-compliance can result in lawsuits, fines, and reputational damage — but more importantly, it excludes people from accessing your information.

Quick Wins for Better Accessibility

You do not need to be an accessibility expert to make meaningful improvements. Start with the basics: run OCR on any scanned PDFs so they have a text layer. Add a document title using the PDF Metadata tool. Use high-contrast colors in your source documents. These three steps alone address the most common accessibility failures.

For organizations creating many PDFs, establish a simple checklist: text layer present, document title set, language tag included, and images described. Review each document against this checklist before publishing.