Making Your PDFs Accessible: Why It Matters and How to Do It

Making Your PDFs Accessible: Why It Matters and How to Do It

Accessible documents are no longer a “nice to have”. For councils, community groups, and any organisation providing information to the public, making sure your PDFs are accessible is a legal requirement under the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations. Even beyond compliance, accessible PDFs ensure that everyone in your community can read and understand essential information, including residents who use screen readers or other assistive technology.

The good news is that improving PDF accessibility is straightforward once you know the key steps.

Why PDFs Often Fail Accessibility Checks

Many councils upload scanned documents, image-based PDFs, or older files that were never designed with accessibility in mind. Common problems include:

• No text structure (headings, paragraphs, lists)
• Images without alternative text
• Scanned documents that are not selectable or readable
• Poor colour contrast
• Incorrect reading order
• Missing document titles
• Forms without labels

Any one of these issues can make a PDF difficult or impossible for residents with visual or cognitive impairments to use.

How to Create Accessible PDFs

You can tackle this in two ways: build accessibility into the original document before exporting it to PDF, or fix the PDF afterwards using specialist tools.

1. Start with an Accessible Source File

Creating the document in Word, Google Docs, or similar? Set it up properly before exporting:

• Use real headings (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc)
• Add alternative text to images
• Use built-in lists and tables rather than manual formatting
• Run the accessibility checker in your word processor
• Ensure any links use clear wording (“Download agenda” instead of “Click here”)

When exporting to PDF, choose “Save as PDF – Best for accessibility” or equivalent where available.

2. Avoid Scanned PDFs Wherever Possible

If you must upload scanned documents, run them through Optical Character Recognition (OCR). Without OCR, a screen reader sees the whole page as one giant image and cannot read it.

3. Use Adobe Acrobat or Similar Tools

Professional tools allow you to:

• Add or correct the reading order
• Apply tags that identify headings, paragraphs, lists, tables
• Add document titles
• Add or amend alternative text for images
• Check contrast and fix issues
• Ensure form fields have proper labels

Acrobat’s “Accessibility Checker” provides a clear, itemised report of what needs attention.

What an Accessible PDF Should Include

A well-made accessible PDF will have:

• A logical reading order
• Proper tagging throughout
• A meaningful document title
• Alt text for images and diagrams
• Selectable, readable text (not a scan)
• Accessible tables with headers
• Good contrast
• Bookmarks for longer documents

This ensures that users with visual impairments, dyslexia, or cognitive challenges can still navigate and understand the document.

Why This Matters for Councils

Public sector organisations have specific legal responsibilities:

• To publish accessible content by default
• To avoid using inaccessible PDFs unless absolutely necessary
• To provide alternative formats when requested
• To include inaccessible items in the Accessibility Statement

Meeting these standards not only avoids risk but builds trust with your community. Residents expect inclusive digital services, and accessible PDFs are a big part of that.