Creating Accessible PDF Documents

Creating accessible documents helps ensure that all users including people using screen readers, keyboard navigation, or other assistive technologies can access and understand digital content. Accessible documents improve usability, readability, and compliance with accessibility standards such as WCAG and Section 508.

When creating documents for the web or sharing PDFs, presentations, and forms, it is important to use proper headings, alternative text for images, meaningful link text, sufficient color contrast, and correctly tagged document structures.

Creating Accessible Documents in Adobe InDesign

Adobe InDesign provides tools for creating accessible PDFs by using paragraph styles, reading order, alt text, and export tagging settings.

Helpful resource:
Accessible PDFs in InDesign

Best practices:

• Add document language and title metadata
• Use built-in paragraph styles for headings and structure
• Add alternative text to meaningful images
• Ensure tables are properly structured
• Set the correct reading order
• Export using tagged PDF settings

Creating Accessible PDF Documents in Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat can be used to check and remediate accessibility issues in PDFs, including tagging structure, document titles, bookmarks, form fields, and reading order.

Helpful resource:
Creating accessible PDFs in Adobe Acrobat

Best practices:

• Run the Accessibility Checker and autotag document if needed
• Verify document tags and heading hierarchy
• Add document language and title metadata
• Ensure links and form fields are properly labeled
• Review reading order with assistive technology tools

Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word includes built-in accessibility tools that help create accessible documents before exporting to PDF.

Helpful resources:

• Make your Word documents accessible to people with disabilities | Microsoft Support
• Add File Metadata

Best practices:

• Add file metadata
• Use heading styles instead of manual formatting
• Add alt text to images and graphics
• Use descriptive hyperlink text
• Create simple, structured tables
• Run the Accessibility Checker before sharing documents

Creating Accessible Documents Google Workspace

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides include accessibility features that support collaborative and accessible content creation.

Best practices:

• Use built-in heading styles and document outlines
• Add alternative text to images
• Use sufficient color contrast and readable fonts
• Avoid using color alone to convey meaning
• Ensure spreadsheet tables are clearly labeled and organized

Helpful Google Workspace accessibility resources:

• Accessibility in Google Docs Editors - Computer
• Use Google Sheets with a screen reader - Google Accessibility Help
• Make your document, presentation, sheets & videos more accessible - Google Docs Editors Help
• Google Workspace admin guide to accessibility
• Use Google Docs Editors with a screen reader

Note: Exporting a document may affect accessibility. Verify the exported file before distributing or publishing it.

Exporting Accessible Documents from Google Docs

• Create your document using accessibility best practices.
• Choose File > Download and select the file format that best meets your needs (such as Microsoft Word or PDF).
• If exporting to Microsoft Word, review the document using Microsoft Word's Accessibility Checker before sharing or converting it to another format.
• If exporting to PDF, verify the document in Adobe Acrobat Pro's Accessibility Checker before publishing.
• Always review exported documents to ensure accessibility features have been preserved.

Exporting Accessible Documents from Google Sheets

• Ensure the spreadsheet follows accessibility best practices before exporting.
• Download the file in the format appropriate for your intended use (such as Excel or PDF).
• Review the exported document to ensure tables, labels, and structure have been preserved.
• If exporting to PDF, verify the document with Adobe Acrobat Pro before publishing.

Exporting Accessible Documents from Google Slides

• Create accessible slides using appropriate titles, reading order, and alternative text.
• Download the presentation in the format appropriate for your intended use (such as PowerPoint or PDF).
• Review the exported presentation to ensure accessibility information has been preserved.
• If exporting to PDF, verify the document with Adobe Acrobat Pro before publishing.

Note: If exporting to PDF, verify the exported document for accessibility. Adobe Acrobat Pro is recommended when available. If it is not available, use the accessibility checker in the source application (such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint) before exporting.

Additional Accessibility Considerations

When preparing digital content:

• Use clear and consistent heading structures
• Write meaningful link text instead of “click here”
• Ensure sufficient color contrast
• Avoid scanned image-only PDFs when possible
• Provide captions or transcripts for multimedia content
• Test documents with accessibility checkers and screen readers when appropriate