How do I make sure my PDF's reading order is correct?

After auto-tagging, open the Reading Order tool. Look at the numbered boxes on your page. Drag and drop boxes to change the order if needed. This makes sure screen readers read content in the right sequence.

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

Standard Focus When to use. WCAG General web content accessibility guidelines, not specific to PDFs. For most digital content, including web pages and general PDFs. PDF/UA Specific rules for PDF document accessibility. For regulated work or when high PDF accessibility is required.

Rushed Accessible Content in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

DBecome — “help me grow”We scramble on accessibility for every major brief. Recommend a lightweight preflight checklist…+

We scramble on accessibility for every major brief. Recommend a lightweight preflight checklist and one routine—who adds alt text and who signs off—that ensures every public brief meets basic accessibility before release, and explain how this will reduce last-minute fixes.

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.

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.

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.

The real tasks

the one, listed here

Making accessible content routine under deadline pressure

FAQ

about this task

After auto-tagging, open the Reading Order tool.
Look at the numbered boxes on your page.
Drag and drop boxes to change the order if needed.
This makes sure screen readers read content in the right sequence.

Standard	Focus	When to use
WCAG	General web content accessibility guidelines, not specific to PDFs.	For most digital content, including web pages and general PDFs.
PDF/UA	Specific rules for PDF document accessibility.	For regulated work or when high PDF accessibility is required.

It is much easier and saves time to make your original document (like a Word file) accessible from the start. When you export an accessible source file to PDF, it often keeps its accessibility features. Fixing a PDF after it's made can be very time-consuming and complex, especially for untagged PDFs.

Yes, the Sensei-powered PDF Accessibility Auto-Tag API can tag both native and scanned PDFs. It identifies headings, tables, lists, and paragraphs, even in scanned documents, and includes language ID.

If images in your PDF do not have alt text, people using screen readers will not know what the images show. This makes your document less accessible and can prevent users from understanding important visual information. The Accessibility Checker will flag this as a problem.

Rushed Accessible Content

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

Other guides