How do I make sure my PDF meets accessibility rules like WCAG?

First, use the 'Automatically tag PDF' feature in Acrobat. Then, check and fix the reading order of your document. Finally, run the 'Full Check' with the Accessibility Checker and fix any issues it finds. This helps meet WCAG standards.

What is the difference between PDF/UA and WCAG for PDF accessibility?

Standard Focus Scope. PDF/UA Specific to PDF documents, ensuring technical accessibility. Deals with the internal structure and tagging of a PDF. WCAG General guidelines for web content accessibility, technology-agnostic. Applies to all digital content, including PDFs, but not PDF-specific.

Accessible Statements Deadline in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

CDecide — “help me choose”A director who is visually impaired asked for accessible financial statements in the next two…+

A director who is visually impaired asked for accessible financial statements in the next two hours so they can review before the board meeting. I fear sending a PDF that doesn't work with their reader. Tell me the minimal, reliable formatting changes and the quickest conversion approach so the statements are genuinely accessible and I don't get called out in the meeting.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open the PDF document you want to check for accessibility.
2
Click the Tools tab at the top of the Acrobat window.
3
Scroll through the list and select Accessibility to add the Accessibility tools to your workspace if they are not already visible.
Best practiceIf you do not see the Accessibility tools, you may need to add them from the Tools pane as they are not shown by default.
4
In the Accessibility tools pane, click Full Check.
5
In the Accessibility Checker Options dialog, review the settings and click Start Checking.
Best practiceFor a thorough check, ensure all checkboxes are selected before starting the check.
6
Review the results displayed in the Accessibility Checker panel on the left side of the screen.

In the appWith the API

You can right-click in the Navigation Pane to show the Accessibility tags panel for more detailed tag inspection.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

Accessible PDFA PDF that people with disabilities can use, often with tools like screen readers.ExampleAn Accessible PDF allows a visually impaired user to have its content read aloud by a screen reader.

Alt textA short description for images so people who cannot see them know what they show.ExampleA person using a screen reader hears 'a red bicycle leaning against a brick wall' when they encounter the image.

Reading orderThe order in which a screen reader reads the content on a page, which should follow a logical flow.ExampleA screen reader follows the specified reading order to present the document's content logically.

Who does this

3 roles

Accessibility SpecialistInstructional DesignerDocument Remediator

FAQ

about this task

First, use the 'Automatically tag PDF' feature in Acrobat.
Then, check and fix the reading order of your document.
Finally, run the 'Full Check' with the Accessibility Checker and fix any issues it finds. This helps meet WCAG standards.

Standard	Focus	Scope
PDF/UA	Specific to PDF documents, ensuring technical accessibility.	Deals with the internal structure and tagging of a PDF.
WCAG	General guidelines for web content accessibility, technology-agnostic.	Applies to all digital content, including PDFs, but not PDF-specific.

It is much easier and saves a lot of time to make your original document accessible before converting it to a PDF. If the source file (like a Word document) is already structured correctly with headings, lists, and alt text, the PDF export will be mostly accessible. Fixing an untagged PDF later takes a lot of effort.

Yes, Acrobat's auto-tagging feature, powered by Sensei AI, can work with scanned PDFs. It can identify and tag headings, tables, lists, and paragraphs, even in scanned documents. However, you will still need to manually verify the reading order and add alt text for images, as automation is not perfect.

Reading order is the sequence in which assistive technologies, like screen readers, present the content of a PDF to a user. It is important because if the reading order is wrong, a screen reader might jump around the page, making the document confusing or impossible to understand for someone who cannot see the visual layout. You often need to fix this manually.

Accessible Statements Deadline

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

Other guides