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Open the PDF file to be checked in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Select Tools in the upper left, then add or open the Accessibility tool.
In the Accessibility pane, select Full Check.
In the dialog that opens, under Report Options, ensure Create accessibility report is checked.
Under Checking Options, select the desired standard (e.g., WCAG 2.0 or PDF/UA) if available.
NoteIf your version of Acrobat does not list PDF/UA or WCAG options, the checker will still test for core accessibility issues relevant to both standards.
Click Start Checking to run the accessibility check.
Review the results in the Accessibility Checker panel; expand each section to see issues flagged.
Address all issues marked as Failed or Needs manual check by following the recommended fixes or using the Fix option where available.
Best practiceFor best results, avoid using 'Print to PDF' when creating documents, as this removes accessibility tags and formatting.
Repeat the accessibility check after making corrections to confirm compliance.
Save a copy of the accessibility report for documentation or auditing purposes.
Best practiceAlways verify that text is selectable and not an image; scanned PDFs are not accessible and should be remediated or recreated.
The Accessibility Checker panel provides a detailed breakdown of compliance issues and links directly to problem elements in your PDF.
This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.
Tagging is the most important step for PDF accessibility because tags define the structure of the document. Without tags, screen readers cannot understand the order of content, headings, lists, or tables. This makes it impossible for people using assistive technology to navigate and understand the PDF.
Even if a PDF is auto-tagged, the reading order might not be perfect. Automated tools can get about 80% of the structure right, but complex layouts or unusual content might confuse them. You need to check the reading order manually to make sure the content flows logically for screen readers, especially for tables and multi-column layouts.
| Standard | Focus | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| PDF/UA | Specific to PDF documents | Ensures technical accessibility features within a PDF. |
| WCAG | General web content (technology-agnostic) | Provides broad guidelines for making all digital content accessible. |
Yes, absolutely! It is much easier and faster to fix accessibility issues in the original source document, like Microsoft Word or PowerPoint. If you create an accessible Word document, the PDF exported from it will often retain most of its accessibility features. This saves a lot of time compared to fixing a PDF that was not made accessibly from the start.