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PDF Accessibility Checklist: What to Check Before Publishing a PDF

A step-by-step PDF accessibility checklist covering metadata, tags, headings, images, tables, forms, contrast, OCR, security and testing. Includes a practical pre-publish workflow and common fixes to catch barriers before publishing.

This PDF Accessibility Checklist lists the checks to run before you publish a PDF. Use it to catch common barriers for screen readers, keyboard users and people who need high contrast or larger text.

Quick pre-publish checklist

  • Document title and language set
  • PDF is tagged and reading order verified
  • Headings use proper tags (H1, H2, H3)
  • All meaningful images have alternative text or long descriptions
  • Tables are tagged with header cells and simple structure
  • Lists use list tags, not manual bullets
  • Form fields have labels and keyboard operable controls
  • Links are meaningful and not “click here”
  • Text meets WCAG contrast (WCAG 2.1 levels A and AA)
  • Scanned pages are OCRed and text is selectable
  • No security settings that block assistive technologies
  • Run an automated checker and a manual screen-reader test

Why these checks matter

Tagged PDF and structure tags let screen readers present content in the right order. Alternative text explains images. Labels let keyboard users fill forms. Contrast and readable text help low-vision readers. Meeting WCAG 2.1 level AA and PDF/UA (ISO 14289) helps meet accessibility requirements and best practice.

Detailed checklist: structure and metadata

Title and document language

  • Set a clear document title in document properties. This is what assistive tech announces first.
  • Declare the document language at the document level. Also set language for any content in a different language.

Tagged PDF and reading order

  • Ensure the file is a tagged PDF. Tags provide semantic structure to assistive tech.
  • Open the Tags panel and confirm the tag tree matches visual order.
  • Use the Reading Order tool or structure tree to correct tag order and group elements.

Headings and document outline

  • Mark headings with proper heading tags (H1, H2, H3). Headings create navigation points for screen reader users.
  • Keep heading order logical and not skipping levels.
  • Create bookmarks that match main headings for long documents.

Detailed checklist: images, figures and colour

Alternative text for images

  • Provide concise alt text for functional images and photos that convey meaning.
  • For complex diagrams, include a short alt and a longer description nearby or link to a long description.
  • Mark purely decorative images as artifacts or give empty alt text so screen readers skip them.

Colour, contrast and text

  • Check text and interactive control contrast against background. Aim for WCAG 2.1 AA: 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text.
  • Avoid conveying information by colour alone. Add visible labels or icons where needed.
  • Embed fonts to preserve text rendering and selection.

Detailed checklist: tables and lists

Tables

  • Tag tables so assistive tech can identify header cells and data cells.
  • Use simple table structure for data tables. Avoid complex layout tables. If complex tables are necessary, provide summaries or long descriptions.
  • Ensure the reading order for tables matches the visual order.

Lists

  • Use proper list tags for ordered and unordered lists. Do not emulate lists with tabs or manual bullets.
  • Use meaningful link text that describes the target. Avoid “click here” and stand-alone URLs when possible.
  • Set the link target correctly so it is keyboard reachable and announced by screen readers.

Forms and interactive fields

  • Label every form field with visible text labels and set the programmatic label in the form field properties.
  • Provide instructions, error messages and required indicators in text, not only in colour.
  • Check tab order so fields receive focus in a logical sequence.

Detailed checklist: scanned content and OCR

  • Run OCR on any scanned page so text becomes selectable and readable by screen readers.
  • After OCR, check for recognition errors and fix incorrect text, especially in headings and lists.

Document security and compatibility

  • Do not apply security settings that prevent copying or access by assistive technology.
  • Confirm the PDF version and reader compatibility for your audience. Some older readers handle tagged PDFs poorly.

Testing: automated and manual

Automated checkers catch many issues. Manual tests find problems automation misses. Use both.

Automated tools

  • Run a PDF accessibility checker such as PAC 3 or the Acrobat Accessibility Checker.
  • Fix all tagged structure errors, language issues and missing alt text reported by the tool.

Manual checks

  • Keyboard test: Tab through the document and interactive elements. Ensure focus order is logical and all controls work with the keyboard.
  • Screen reader test: Listen with NVDA, JAWS or VoiceOver. Check heading navigation, reading order, image alt text and form labels.
  • Contrast check: Use a colour contrast tool to verify ratios for each text block and control.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

  • Missing tags. Fix: Generate tags in the authoring app and repair the tag tree manually if needed.
  • Decorative images with alt text. Fix: Mark as artifact or remove alt text so they are ignored.
  • Forms without programmatic labels. Fix: Add field names and set tooltip or alternate text where label text is not adjacent.
  • Scans left as images. Fix: Run OCR and correct recognized text.

Practical pre-publish workflow (step-by-step)

  1. Set document title and primary language in document properties.
  2. Export or save as a tagged PDF from the authoring tool where possible.
  3. Run OCR on any scanned pages.
  4. Open Tags and Reading Order tools. Fix tag structure and heading levels.
  5. Add or edit alt text for images and long descriptions for complex visuals.
  6. Tag tables, lists, form fields and links correctly. Set tab order for forms.
  7. Check contrast and embed fonts.
  8. Run an automated checker. Triage and fix high-impact issues first.
  9. Do a keyboard pass and a screen-reader pass with at least one screen reader.
  10. Save a final copy and document the accessibility steps you took for future audits.

Mapping to standards

  • WCAG 2.1 level A and AA covers many PDF accessibility requirements such as text alternatives, keyboard accessibility and contrast.
  • PDF/UA (ISO 14289) is the technical standard for accessible PDF structure and semantics.

Final quick checklist to print

  • Title and language set
  • Tagged PDF with correct reading order
  • Headings properly tagged
  • Alt text for meaningful images
  • Tables and lists tagged
  • Form fields labelled and keyboard operable
  • Links descriptive and usable
  • Text contrast meets WCAG 2.1 AA
  • Scanned text OCRed and corrected
  • No security restrictions blocking assistive tech
  • Automated and manual tests completed

Use this checklist on every PDF before publishing. Keep a short record of fixes so future updates stay accessible.