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Open the PDF document you want to check for accessibility.
Click the Tools tab at the top of the Acrobat window.
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.
In the Accessibility tools pane, click Full Check.
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.
Review the results displayed in the Accessibility Checker panel on the left side of the screen.
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.
| Feature | PDF/UA | WCAG |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Specific to PDF documents | General guidelines for all web content |
| Purpose | Ensures technical accessibility features within a PDF | Ensures content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust |
| Requirement | Often required for specific legal or industry standards | Commonly used for digital accessibility laws globally |
It is always best to fix accessibility issues in the original source file, such as a Microsoft Word document. When you export an accessible source file to PDF, many accessibility features transfer automatically. This saves a lot of time and effort compared to fixing an already created PDF, which can be a long and complex process.
Yes, Acrobat's auto-tagging feature can work with both native and scanned PDFs. It uses smart technology to identify headings, tables, lists, and paragraphs, even in scanned documents. However, you will still need to manually check and adjust the reading order and add alt text for images after the automatic process.
The 'Accessibility Checker' in Acrobat Pro is a tool that scans your PDF document for common accessibility problems. It helps you find issues like missing alt text, incorrect reading order, or problems with headings. After it runs, it gives you a report and helps you fix the flagged items.