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

First, use 'Automatically tag PDF' to give your document a basic structure. Then, use the 'Reading Order' tool to check that text flows correctly. Finally, run the 'Accessibility Checker' to find and fix any remaining problems like missing alt text or incorrect headings.

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

Feature PDF/UA WCAG. Focus Specific to PDF documents General for all web content Purpose Ensures technical accessibility of a PDF Ensures content is accessible across technologies Requirement Often needed for PDF-specific regulations Commonly required for general digital accessibility

Rushed Accessibility Reviews in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

DBecome — “help me grow”Across recent campaigns, where do accessibility failures most often occur — captions, color…+

Across recent campaigns, where do accessibility failures most often occur — captions, color contrast, or navigable landing pages? Recommend one change to [process=production] that prevents late fixes and a small verification artifact I can hand to [team=compliance] each [process=launch].

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 in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2
Go to the Tools tab at the top of the window.
3
Scroll through the available tools and select Accessibility to add it to your Tools pane if it is not already present.
Best practiceIf you do not see the Accessibility tool, you can add it from the Tools tab for easier future access.
4
In the right-hand pane, click Check Accessibility.
5
In the Accessibility Checker Options dialog, select the desired checking options or leave the defaults.
6
Click Start Checking to begin the accessibility check.
7
Review the results in the left-hand Accessibility Checker panel, which will display any detected accessibility issues.
Best practiceRight-clicking on an issue in the results panel provides options for fixing or learning more about the problem.

In the appWith the API

You can double-click any issue in the Accessibility Checker panel to jump directly to the problem area in your PDF.

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

Accessibility reviews are always rushed and we miss issues until late in production.

FAQ

about this task

First, use 'Automatically tag PDF' to give your document a basic structure.
Then, use the 'Reading Order' tool to check that text flows correctly.
Finally, run the 'Accessibility Checker' to find and fix any remaining problems like missing alt text or incorrect headings.

Feature	PDF/UA	WCAG
Focus	Specific to PDF documents	General for all web content
Purpose	Ensures technical accessibility of a PDF	Ensures content is accessible across technologies
Requirement	Often needed for PDF-specific regulations	Commonly required for general digital accessibility

Fixing the source document (like a Word file) is much better because it saves time. If the source is accessible, then the PDF created from it will also be accessible. This means you do not have to spend a lot of time fixing the PDF later. It is easier to build accessibility in from the start.

'Automatically tag PDF' means Acrobat tries to add hidden labels to your PDF content by itself. These labels identify things like headings, paragraphs, and lists. It usually gets about 80% of the structure right. However, you still need to check it manually, especially for reading order, alt text for images, and complex tables, to ensure full accuracy.

Yes, even if your PDF is a scanned document, Acrobat's 'Automatically tag PDF' tool can help. It can identify headings, tables, lists, and paragraphs, even in scanned PDFs. This is the first step to making a scanned document accessible.

Rushed Accessibility Reviews

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

Other guides