Portable Document Format files, or PDFs, are a staple in the digital landscape, and it’s not difficult to understand why. This versatile file format gives us an easy and reliable way to present and exchange documents across various devices and operating systems. However, for individuals who rely on assistive technology, inaccessible PDFs can not only pose challenges but also create significant barriers.
There are various disabilities that can make it more challenging to access information in PDF documents. Those with visual impairments may have difficulty reading text that is too small or not properly formatted. People with hearing impairments may find it challenging to engage with audio content that lacks captions or transcripts. Additionally, people with mobility impairments may have difficulty navigating complex documents that are not properly structured. These barriers emphasize the need for well-designed, accessible PDFs to ensure that everyone can access information effectively.
In this blog, we’ll explore what makes a document compliant with PDF/UA requirements (that’s ‘Universal Accessibility’), what this means in practice, why it’s important, and how we can help you comply.
What makes a PDF accessible?
A document that has been made accessible means that assistive technology can navigate and distinguish the different parts of the document – such as headings, lists, tables, links, images, and the overall document flow. This helps the reader better understand the content independently and ensures that it is read in the way that the creator intended. Let’s dive into each of these elements in a little more detail:
- Headings: Tags that help to identify headings enable reading devices to scan sections of a document, making it easier to navigate to sections the reader is most interested in. Heading tags also help a reader understand if a section is a subtopic within a bigger section.
- Lists: The correct tagging of lists ensures that assistive technology recognizes the words in the list as a group shown in a given order, rather than a series of unrelated words void of context.
- Tables: These require formatting in a specific way so that reading software recognizes the relationship between the rows and columns. Each cell in the table needs specifying to enable the necessary context. Document flow (see below) tagging should also be considered when tagging tables.
- Images: ‘Alt text’ (or ‘Alt description’ or ‘Alt attribute’) tags on images help assistive tech users understand the function and context of an image they cannot easily see. These tags also ensure the image is not overlooked as serving a simple decorative purpose when it is, in fact, an important enhancement to the copy it sits alongside. It's also worth noting that search engines also use Alt text to better understand the relevance of an image within a PDF, ensuring your content is better optimized for Search Engine Optimization or SEO.
- Links: Assistive tech must be able to detect a link as a link and not just text on the page. This helps alert the reader that they are leaving the existing document to visit content on another page and where they will be going.
- Document flow: PDFs can be laid out differently, so it's important to instruct reading technology to consume the content in the correct order. This ensures the page is navigated correctly and the end-user gets the intended reading experience.
Compliance with document accessibility law – European Accessibility Act
While a growing number of businesses have begun addressing digital accessibility, the accessibility of PDF documents doesn’t always get prioritized. It is possible companies aren’t aware of how much of their audience isn’t able to access the PDFs they create, but with one in six people globally experiencing a disability, it is crucial for organizations to reassess their PDF content. Adobe estimates there are trillions of PDFs in circulation globally, with more than 90 percent of these presenting some level of inaccessibility. This means they might appear blank, blurry, or like complex code for individuals with disabilities, creating unnecessary barriers but also limiting the size of the target audience that your message can reach.
People who have disabilities or impairments and use assistive technology to read PDFs don’t always complain. Despite a rising number of digital accessibility lawsuits across the United States, filing a lawsuit isn’t the most common response to inaccessible PDFs. Often, they just move on to the next information source – in your case, potentially one of your competitors - in hopes of a better experience.
With the European Accessibility Act (EEA) coming into force in June of 2025, strict enforcement including the promise of penalties and fines has been made for non-compliance. It is a pertinent time to take inventory of the PDFs living on your company website or that were emailed to a customer. Any files that are not Universally Accessible (UA) present a legal and compliance risk. Companies outside of the European Union (EU) must comply with the EAA if they trade relevant goods and services within the EU.
There’s more to it than regulatory compliance alone
Ensuring your PDFs are accessible brings you a raft of further benefits than regulatory compliance alone. For example, accessible documents are easier for everyone to use, not just people with disabilities. Properly formatted text, well-described images, and structured navigation can make it easier for all users to find and understand the information they need.
Creating accessible PDF documents can help organizations reach a wider audience. By making information accessible to people of all abilities, organizations can tap into a large and growing market of consumers who may have previously been unable to access their content. Perhaps most importantly, making content accessible to all is simply the right thing to do.
PDF remediation at scale – Inspire Adapt
With potentially thousands of documents to remediate, how can you overcome the time-consuming task of manual remediation? Luckily, there are automated solutions that can quickly and efficiently bring your documents into compliance.
While Quadient Inspire has many ways to create accessible documents and emails at the point of creation, we are excited to unveil a solution that addresses the challenge of PDFs previously created without accessibility tags. Introducing Inspire Adapt, an automated PDF accessibility solution that converts documents into PDF/UA format on-demand and in high-volume batches at speeds up to 100,000 pages per hour.
Prioritizing accessibility enhances user experience, broadens reach, and reinforces a company’s commitment to inclusivity. With powerful enterprise PDF/UA automation, you can streamline your document remediation process, achieve compliance with accessibility standards, and create a more inclusive and equitable digital experience.
Ready to get started with PDF remediation? Speak to one of our Inspire experts today!
