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Use case · 10 minutes

How to make a PDF accessible for screen readers

Check tagging, reading order, and language so the document works for assistive tech — and for compliance.

For: Teams meeting ADA / Section 508 / WCAG / EN 301 549, and anyone publishing a public PDF
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STEP BY STEP

The workflow

1
Run the accessibility check
Open the Accessibility Checker to see where the PDF falls short — missing tags, no document language, image alt-text gaps, and uncertain reading order are the usual culprits.
Open PDF Accessibility Checker
2
Convert to PDF/A for a stable, structured base
PDF/A embeds fonts and locks the structure, which gives assistive tech a predictable, self-contained document to read and keeps it rendering the same over time.
Open Convert to PDF/A
3
Keep the file light (optional)
Accessible PDFs are still shared by email and portals. Compress trims size without touching the text layer assistive tech depends on.
Open Compress PDF
WHY IT MATTERS

The case for doing this

An inaccessible PDF is invisible to someone using a screen reader — and increasingly a legal exposure, with ADA, Section 508, WCAG, and the EU's EN 301 549 all pointing at public documents. Accessibility comes down to a few things: the document has tags that convey structure (headings, lists, tables), a defined reading order, a language set so the reader pronounces words correctly, and alt-text on meaningful images. The checker surfaces which of these are missing so you can fix the document at the source rather than guess. One honest caveat: a scanned PDF is just an image — there's no text for a screen reader to read at all until it's been OCR'd, so make scans searchable first. Everything here runs in your browser, so the document stays on your device.

COMMON MISTAKES

What to avoid

Trying to make a scan accessible without OCR
A scanned page is an image. Until it's OCR'd (made searchable), a screen reader has nothing to read. OCR first, then check accessibility.
Treating a passing check as full compliance
Automated checks catch the mechanical gaps (tags, language, alt-text presence) but can't judge whether alt-text is meaningful or the reading order makes sense. A human pass is still needed for real compliance.
TIPS FOR THE BEST RESULTS

What works

Set the document language
A missing language is one of the most common and most impactful gaps — it's what tells the screen reader how to pronounce the text.
Write alt-text that conveys meaning
"Chart" helps no one; "Bar chart: Q3 revenue up 12%" does. Describe what the image communicates, not just that it exists.
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FAQ

Questions about this workflow

Tags that convey structure, a logical reading order, a set document language, and meaningful alt-text on images — so assistive tech can navigate and announce the content.

Try the workflow on a real PDF

Free tools run in your browser. No signup, no watermarks.

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