Imagine your online store sends out PDF invoices. They contain important information such as bank details and contact information. Only one thing is missing so that all your customers can read and pay the invoice: accessibility!
With an accessible PDF, you also give people with disabilities access to the information in the document – regardless of whether they are visually impaired, have limited motor skills or have reading difficulties. In particular, this involves the technical optimization of documents in accordance with international standards such as PDF/UA.
For companies, accessible documents mean greater reach, a better image and compliance with legal requirements. Sounds complicated? Don’t worry. This guide shows you how to create accessible PDFs. Practical and without technical jargon. Make your PDFs fit for everyone!
What are accessible PDFs?
An accessible PDF is a document that all people can use easily – regardless of their abilities. To achieve this, it must be designed in such a way that people with visual or hearing impairments, for example, can read and understand the content without any problems.
What makes a PDF accessible?
- Structured content: Headings, paragraphs and lists are formatted correctly.
- Alternative texts: All images and graphics have descriptive texts.
- Reading order: The natural reading order is set so that screen readers can read the text correctly.
- Accessible links: Hyperlinks are clear and descriptive.
- Form fields: Input fields are correctly labeled and easy to use.
Legal requirements
There are various legal requirements that oblige companies to make their digital content accessible. Three of the most important standards are
- PDF/UA: The specialized standard for accessible PDFs. It specifies the WCAG guidelines for the PDF format. (You can find more information about PDF/UA here)
- WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): The WCAG define how digital content can be made accessible. They are divided into three conformance levels: A, AA and the highest level AAA. Level AA is relevant for most PDFs. (Here you can find the WCAG 2.2 in full length).
- BFSG (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz): This law applies in Germany and requires public bodies and some private companies to provide accessible content. (Here you can find the legal text of the BFSG).
Create accessible PDFs: Tools and software
Before we get started, we need the right tools. Here is an overview of the best tools for accessible PDFs:
- Adobe Acrobat Pro: Can do almost everything, but also costs a lot. Ideal for professionals and frequent users. Offers extensive functions for checking and optimizing accessibility. (YouTube tutorial: Create accessible PDF with Adobe Acrobat Pro)
- Microsoft Word: Surprise! Word can also create accessible PDFs. This is often enough. (YouTube tutorial: Create accessible PDF in Word)
- Adobe InDesign: Professional tool for complex layouts and extensive documents. Enables the creation of accessible PDFs directly from the design process. (YouTube tutorial: Creating accessible PDF documents with Adobe InDesign, part 1)
- Online tools and plugins: There are numerous online services and browser plugins that can help you to make PDFs accessible. These are often easy to use and do not require installation. (Example tools: PAVE, axes4, CIB PDF Brewer)
Free alternatives
- LibreOffice: A free alternative to Microsoft Office. With LibreOffice, you can also create accessible documents and export them as PDFs. (YouTube tutorial: Accessible documents with Libre Office)
- PDF-XChange Editor: PDF-XChange is a free tool for creating and editing PDFs. It has many functions that can be found in paid programs – including the ability to check and adapt PDFs for accessibility.
Create accessible PDF: Step-by-step instructions
Now it’s getting concrete. Here is your roadmap to the barrier-free PDF:
Maintain the document structure
- Hierarchy and headings: Headings are the skeleton of your document. Use them consistently and hierarchically (H1, H2, H3). This improves readability and helps screen readers to better interpret the content.
- Paragraphs and lists structure the text: they make it digestible – for humans and machines. Nowadays, a paragraph should be no more than a few lines long.
- Correct use of style sheets: Use style sheets for headings, paragraphs and lists. This ensures that your document is formatted consistently and that all elements are recognized correctly.
Write alternative texts for images
Every image needs an alternative text. Describe briefly and concisely what can be seen. The text describes the visual content and makes it accessible for screen readers. Remember: The text replaces the image for people who cannot see it.
Instructions: Guide to writing meaningful alternative texts.
Correct tagging and structuring of tables
Tables are tricky. Make sure that tables are correctly tagged and logically structured. This means that table headings are marked as such and the cells are arranged in a sensible order. Avoid nested tables. It is better to keep the structure simple and clear.
Instructions for Acrobat: Editing the document structure with the “Content” and “Tags” control panels
Use descriptive hyperlinks
“Click here” is a thing of the past. Formulate meaningful link texts. Good link text reveals what is behind the link. For example: “Download accessibility checklist”.
Instructions: How to set links correctly? Here are 7 simple rules.
Label your form elements
Each form field must be clearly labeled. This means that each field has a unique label that explains what should be entered in the field. Add instructions if necessary. For example: “Please enter date of birth in the format DD.MM.YYYY”.
Guidance: Best practices and usability for online forms
Accessible PDFs: Checking & validation
Your PDF is ready? Great! Now comes the acid test. Use these tools to find out how accessible your document is.
Automated analysis tools for web accessibility:
- Adobe Acrobat’s Accessibility Checker: Directly integrated into Adobe Acrobat Pro. Helps you to check your PDF for accessibility. It identifies problems and gives you specific tips on how to fix them. (You can find more information about the Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker here)
- Free online checking tools (e.g. PAC 2021): The PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC 2021) is a free tool specifically designed for checking the accessibility of PDFs. Perfect for anyone without an Acrobat license. Advantage: many detailed tips on how to fix problems.
Manually analyze your PDFs
- User testing: Let real people with disabilities test your PDF. Their perspective is worth its weight in gold. They can give you valuable feedback and help you identify and remove hidden barriers.
- Test with screen readers: Use screen readers like JAWS, NVDA or VoiceOver to check how accessible your PDF is for visually impaired users. Does it make sense? Or like gibberish? Trick: Close your eyes while you do it. This way you can experience how visually impaired people perceive your PDF.
Tips and best practices for accessible PDFs
Accessibility is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Here’s your strategy for the long haul:
Review & update documents regularly
Accessibility is not a one-off process. Review and update your PDFs regularly to ensure they comply with the latest standards and best practices. Schedule regular check-ups. Maybe every six months? This is especially true when new content is added or existing content is changed.
Provide training in the use of accessible documents
All employees who create PDFs should have the necessary knowledge and skills. Organize workshops. Lunch & Learn? Perfect for in between. Offer regular training sessions and workshops to raise awareness of accessibility and teach practical skills.
Get feedback from users
Your users are your best advisors. Listen to them. Encourage users with disabilities to give you feedback on the PDFs. Set up a feedback channel. A simple email address is often enough. This can help you to identify existing barriers and further improve your documents.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Even professionals stumble sometimes. Here are the top 5 pitfalls with accessible PDFs and how to avoid them:
Missing alternative texts
- Problem: Images without alternative texts cannot be interpreted by screen readers, which denies visually impaired users access to important information.
- Solution: Describe each picture. Short, crisp, meaningful. Your alternative text is the interpreter between the image and the screen reader.
Non-structured documents
- Problem: A PDF without a clear structure (headings, paragraphs, lists) is difficult for screen readers to understand and makes navigation more difficult.
- Solution: Use style sheets like a pro. Headings, paragraphs, lists – everything has its place. So everyone can find their way around.
Incorrect or missing reading order
- Problem: If the reading order is not set correctly, the content of the PDF can be read out in a confusing order. This can impair comprehensibility.
- Solution: Bring order to chaos. Define a logical reading order. From top to bottom, from left to right. Simple, but effective.
Too little contrast between text and background
- Problem: Texts with low contrast to the background are difficult or impossible to read for visually impaired users.
- Solution: Make it high-contrast! Black on white is the classic. Use contrast checkers like the WebAIM Contrast Checker. Your eyes (and those of your readers) will thank you for it.
Unlabeled form fields
- Problem: Screen reader users cannot recognize which information should be entered in the form fields if they are not labeled correctly.
- Solution: Make sure that all form fields, buttons and other interactive elements have clear and descriptive labels.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you are now a PDF accessibility pro! Accessible PDFs are not rocket science, but logic plus technology. The benefit? More reach, better usability and legal compliance. If you need support, please send us a message.
Structure, alternative texts, contrast and clear labeling are your tools. The future will be even more accessible. AI will help – but your judgment remains important. Think about your smartphone when creating.
Accessibility improves the experience for everyone. Every accessible PDF is a step towards digital inclusion. You make the difference! Millions of people with disabilities will thank you.
