How do I make sure my PDF is accessible for people using screen readers?

First, use 'Automatically tag PDF' to add basic structure. Then, check and adjust the 'Reading Order' so text flows logically. Finally, run the 'Accessibility Checker' to find and fix any remaining issues like missing alt text or incorrect tab order.

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

Feature PDF/UA WCAG. Focus Specific to PDF documents General guidelines for all web content Purpose Ensures technical accessibility of a PDF Ensures content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust When needed Often required for PDF-specific regulations Commonly required for all digital content, including PDFs

Consistent Accessible Delivery in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

DBecome — “help me grow”Accessibility errors on presentations force rework and reflect poorly on the studio. Identify…+

Accessibility errors on presentations force rework and reflect poorly on the studio. Identify the recurring accessibility mistakes juniors make when assembling proposal PDFs, and recommend one training change or checklist item I should implement so future juniors produce compliant, client-ready materials from the first draft.

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

AccessibilityMaking sure everyone, including people with disabilities, can use something.ExampleThe website was designed with Accessibility in mind, so screen readers can easily navigate it.

TaggingAdding labels to parts of a document so screen readers can understand it.ExampleTagging a document helps visually impaired users navigate its content with 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.

Who does this

3 roles

Accessibility SpecialistInstructional DesignerDocument Remediator

FAQ

about this task

First, use 'Automatically tag PDF' to add basic structure.
Then, check and adjust the 'Reading Order' so text flows logically.
Finally, run the 'Accessibility Checker' to find and fix any remaining issues like missing alt text or incorrect tab order.

Feature	PDF/UA	WCAG
Focus	Specific to PDF documents	General guidelines for all web content
Purpose	Ensures technical accessibility of a PDF	Ensures content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust
When needed	Often required for PDF-specific regulations	Commonly required for all digital content, including PDFs

Fixing accessibility in the original Word document saves a lot of time and effort. When you export an accessible Word file to PDF, many accessibility features transfer automatically. Remediating a PDF that was not made accessible from the start is much harder and takes longer, especially for complex documents. It ensures consistency and reduces future work.

Yes, the Accessibility Auto-Tag API is powered by Sensei, Adobe's AI. It can tag both native PDFs (made from digital files) and scanned PDFs, even if they are blurry. It identifies headings, tables, lists, and paragraphs, and can also detect the language. This helps make scanned documents much more accessible.

The 'Reading Order' tool lets you organize the order in which a screen reader will read the content of your PDF. It is important because if the reading order is wrong, a screen reader might jump around the document, making it confusing. You can use this tool to manually adjust the order of text, images, and other elements so they make sense.

Consistent Accessible Delivery

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

Other guides