{"id":3184,"date":"2024-02-15T20:18:57","date_gmt":"2024-02-15T20:18:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pdf.live\/resources\/?p=3184"},"modified":"2025-06-12T19:28:59","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T19:28:59","slug":"accessibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pdf.live\/resources\/working-with-pdfs\/accessibility\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do I Make a PDF Accessible Online?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By reading this post, you’ll be able to understand the difference between an accessible PDF vs PDF, what an ADA compliance means for PDFs, and how to create compliant PDFs.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PDFs are a very popular file format for sharing documents over the web due to their compatibility with any device. In other words, the formatting settings of a PDF are preserved between devices \u2014 everyone who opens a PDF will see the same thing. Right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what if someone is colorblind or has a disability that makes it difficult to read your PDF the way that it\u2019s formatted? This is where PDF accessibility is important. So, what does it mean for a PDF to be accessible? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making a PDF accessible generally means that anyone can understand the information it contains, including those with disabilities. A highly accessible PDF is either easily legible or readable using certain tools that individuals with disabilities utilize, such as screen readers for blind or visually impaired people. PDF creators should recognize that if their documents will be publicly hosted online, or widely shared, their PDF should be as accessible as possible so as many people as possible can understand it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article will outline everything about PDF accessibility. This includes what makes a PDF accessible, how to make a PDF accessible, and then how to check if a PDF that you\u2019ve created is accessible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ADA Compliance and PDFs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

ADA compliance may or may not apply to your organization. It applies to public buildings, state and local governments, and businesses that fall under public accommodations. We’re not experts in ADA compliance, so you’re better to consult an expert in the area who can tell you if you must adhere to Americans With Disabilities Act<\/a>. Technically, the accessibility of documents is governed by Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Section 508 Standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless, people search for ADA compliance and PDFs because they want<\/em> to make their online documents accessible to people with disabilities. So, we’re not covering how to make web and digital properties comply with government regulations; for that, look for an accessibility consultant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Makes a PDF Accessible?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no single software that you can use to make PDFs accessible. Rather, PDFs that are accessible follow certain guidelines to ensure they\u2019re legible by everyone. There are a few different PDF accessibility guidelines that are outlined in the Web Standard: PDF Accessibility Requirements<\/a>. We\u2019ll give some general tips to make PDFs more accessible later on, but these requirements cover a lot more than making PDFs readable for those with disabilities. The web standards apply to websites, applications, mobile apps, and digital properties. That said, these guidelines acknowledge that PDFs aren\u2019t immediately accessible by everyone, including those with disabilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An accessible PDF will be tagged with specific metadata that marks it as accessible. For example, a PDF will have paragraph breaks, headings, and sections marked so that a screen reader software can recognize them. Pictures will have metadata descriptions so that visually impaired individuals will still understand the information that a picture is trying to convey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do I Make My PDF Accessible? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The best step would be to review the Web Standard: PDF Accessibility Requirements<\/a> and the general Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)<\/a> to understand what it means for a piece of web content to be accessible. There are a few general tips to follow so that you, a PDF creator, can make your PDFs more accessible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n