PDF Accessibility: A Practical WCAG/Section 508 Checklist
Accessible PDFs help everyone—especially people who rely on screen readers or keyboard navigation. Use this quick, practical checklist to tag content, fix reading order, add alt text, and verify contrast so your PDFs pass WCAG/Section 508 checks.
Quick Wins (5 minutes)
- Set document title & language in properties (e.g., English).
- Tag the PDF if it’s untagged; avoid using “artifacts” for real content.
- Fix reading order on page 1 (headings → paragraphs → lists).
- Add alt text to informative images/charts; mark decorative images as decorative/artifacts.
- Check contrast (at least 4.5:1 body, 3:1 large text).
Full WCAG/Section 508 Checklist
- Document properties: Title, subject (optional), and document language.
- Tagged PDF: Ensure a proper tag tree exists (no “untagged”).
- Headings: True H1 → H2 → H3 hierarchy (not style-only text).
- Reading order: Logical flow—no sidebars before main content.
- Lists: Use real list tags; don’t fake bullets with hyphens.
- Tables: Use header cells (TH) and scope; avoid complex merges if possible.
- Images/Figures: Concise, meaningful alt text; mark decorative as artifacts.
- Links: Descriptive text (“Download report”) instead of “Click here”.
- Forms: Labeled fields, correct tab order, error hints, submit roles.
- Artifacts: Backgrounds/lines should be artifacts, not read as content.
- Color & contrast: Body 4.5:1, large text 3:1; avoid conveying meaning by color alone.
- Text: Selectable live text (not images of text); avoid tiny font sizes.
- Navigation: Bookmarks for long docs; page labels match print numbers.
- Metadata: Optional author/keywords help search & organization.
- Security: Avoid protection that blocks screen readers.
- Export profile: Prefer PDF/UA; PDF/A-2u works for archival with Unicode.
QA & Testing Tools
- Screen readers: NVDA (Windows), VoiceOver (macOS) for quick read-throughs.
- Acrobat Accessibility Checker: Run checker, then manually review headings/order.
- PAC 2024 (PDF Accessibility Checker): Automated PDF/UA checks.
- Contrast: WebAIM or any WCAG AA color contrast tool.
Simple Team Workflow
- Draft in Word/Google Docs with proper styles (H1–H3, lists, alt text).
- Export to PDF with “tagged PDF” enabled.
- Open in Acrobat (or equivalent), repair tags/reading order, add missing alt text.
- Run checks (Acrobat + PAC 2024) and fix remaining issues.
- Need smaller size? Compress your PDF.
FAQ
Do I need alt text for every image?
No. Decorative images should be marked as artifacts so screen readers skip them. Informative images need concise, meaningful alt text.
Is auto-tagging good enough?
It’s a starting point only. Always review headings, reading order, tables, and lists—these often need manual fixes after auto-tagging.
How do I keep the file small but readable?
Keep live text (avoid images of text), use balanced image compression, and run a final pass with Compress PDF.