PDF Accessibility Guide: Creating Inclusive Documents

How to make accessible, tagged PDFs that work with screen readers and meet WCAG and PDF/UA standards.

An accessible PDF can be read by everyone, including people who use screen readers. Accessibility is also increasingly a legal requirement under standards like WCAG and PDF/UA.

What makes a PDF accessible?

• Tags that describe the reading order and structure (headings, lists, tables)
• Alt text on images so screen readers can describe them
• Real, selectable text rather than scanned images (use OCR if needed)
• Sufficient colour contrast and a defined document language
• Correctly marked-up tables and form fields

How to create accessible PDFs

Start with a well-structured source document: use proper heading styles, add alt text to images, and write descriptive link text. Export to a tagged PDF, then check it with an accessibility checker.

Why it matters

Accessible documents reach a wider audience, improve SEO and AI readability, and keep your organisation compliant. It is good practice that benefits everyone.