Is Your PDF Accessible? 5 Fast Ways to Check

In a digital-first world, accessibility is no longer a choice but a must. Any business, academic institution, or governmental organization must ensure that all documents are made available to everyone without disabilities. Of the most frequently used file formats today, one of the most widely used file types is the Portable Document Format or PDF. However, many PDFs are inaccessible to most users with disabilities who rely on some form of assistive technology.

Accessible PDFs do not only benefit from the ease of compliance with the regulatory requirement under a law like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), nor are they a result of strict compliance with accessibility legal standards, but they have become an important step toward inclusion and equal access. But what determines this acceptance?

Here are five fast ways to tell if your PDF is accessible:

1. Run an Accessibility Checker

With an automated accessibility checker for PDF accessibility & remediation services, the easiest way to scan if your PDF is accessible is by using tools that can scan the PDF and give a report about the issues that need correction. Accessibility checker looks for many things, such as:

• Tagging PDFs: PDF accessibility experts help with tags to organize the content in a manner that is interpretable to assistive technology, including screen readers. It makes it easier to browse a given document.

• Alt text for images: Alt text is an alternative to a viewable image-it has to be there for an image that users cannot view themselves.

• Logical Reading Order: Content should flow when read by assistive technologies.

• Form Field Accessibility: Interactive PDFs should have their form fields clearly named for screen readers and other assistive technologies.

Whereas automated tools are very effective in detecting most of the accessibility issues, nothing can replace human judgment. As an example, whether the alt text is appropriate or the reading order makes sense requires a human eye to verify those errors.

2. Correct Tagging Proper Structure

Tag makeup is perhaps the most critical determinant of accessibility in any PDF accessibility & remediation services. They impose an invisible structure so that assistive technologies- such as screen readers, can read content in a meaningful, logical order. A tagged PDF contains hierarchical tags that distinguish headings, paragraphs, lists, and other structural elements.

• Check for tags by opening the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

• – Go to View > Show/Hide > Navigation Panes > Tags.

If the PDF is tagged correctly by PDF accessibility experts, then you can see a tag tree displaying its structure. A missing or partially presented tag tree is a red flag. If the PDF does not have proper tagging, then users of assistive technology will find it random and impossible to access important information.

It would be perfect if you review the logic flow of heading structures. For example, there should only be one H1 and then properly nested subheadings (H2, H3, and so on).

3. Verify Alt Text Use for Images

Images, charts, and other graphics can make a PDF more readable, but they have to be accessible for those with visual impairments, too. The answer? Alternative text, or alt text.

The alt text describes images in words so that the screen reader can read them in some fashion to the user. To verify whether your PDF’s images contain alt text:

• Open the PDF with Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

• Open a browser and go to a webpage that contains your picture.

• Right-click on the image to choose it. Then, click on Edit Alt Text

If the image is to be recognized and described for you to edit alt text then it means that the image should have been tagged appropriately described. It could be that the image hasn’t been-tagged appropriately described; You’ll type alt text, wordy yet not too short but long enough to describe the purpose of the image.

4. Color Contrast

Visually disabled people may have a hard time reading text when it does not have enough contrast with the surrounding background. When there is a low contrast between text and background, the users will face difficulties in perceiving and processing information.

As per the guidelines by WCAG, for normal text, the ratio should be 4:5:1, and for large-size text, it should be 3:1. There are many tools available for PDF accessibility & remediation services that can check the contrast ratio, like:

WebAIM Contrast Checker, Adobe Acrobat Pro DC Accessibility Checker, etc.

Making your PDF contrast with the requirements also ensures it is readable for anyone in a situation where there is a need to read and who may have poor vision or other impairments in processing visual information.

5. Reading Order

Another very common issue with inaccessible PDFs is an errant reading order. Reading order refers to the sequence in which a screen reader or other assistive technologies will read it aloud. That can be confusing and infuriating for users if the order does not make sense-especially for more complex information.

To check that the reading order is correct:

• Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

• – Go to Order > Show Reading Order Panel.

It will give you an idea of how a screen reader would read the document. If the order appears to be spotty, you can sort the content yourself so that users may go through the material with a logical and fluid flow.

Bonus: Check for Usability manually

While automated tools and in-built features will catch many issues, nothing captures the full scope of accessibility concerns. The best way to prove usability for all users is by doing a manual check. Some things you should review are:

• Forms and Fields: Are interactive elements correctly labeled and fully accessible?

• Hyperlinks: Do links contain descriptive text (e.g., “Click here” isn’t; “Download the report” is)?

• Table Structure: Are tables accessible and formatted in such a way that screen readers do not get confused while navigating tables?

You can further test this experience by actually testing the document for a user with a disability through a screen reader, such as NVDA or JAWS, to check whether the PDF is able to offer a usable, fluid experience.

Final Wrap

Making your PDFs accessible is not just the law but a part of the process of creating an accessible environment for all. You may ensure that your PDF documents meet the highest accessibility standards by running checks on accessibility, verifying correct tagging, checking the color contrast, and manually checking usability.

Following these five rapid steps will make you well on your way to ensuring accessibility for all people, whatever their ability. The next time you create or distribute a PDF, ensure that you have gone through these checks-it is the simplest way to spur on access and equal opportunities.