Creating Accessible Content: Adobe PDFs and Other Documents

Documents such as PDFs, Word files, spreadsheets and presentations must be accessible to all users, including individuals using assistive technologies. Using clear structure, headings, descriptive links, alternative text, and plain language improves usability for everyone.

Use the guidance on this page to help create accessible documents for instruction, communication, marketing and other university purposes.

Roles and Responsibilities

Anyone who creates, uploads, edits or distributes documents is responsible for ensuring accessibility. This includes faculty, staff, departments and units using documents for academic or business purposes.

Accessibility Standards

Documents should align with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA and support the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

How to Get Started

Follow these best practices to ensure documents are accessible.

Create Accessible Source Documents (HTML, Word, Excel)

Accessibility Checker

Use the built-in Accessibility Checker to identify common issues. Automated tools are helpful but incomplete. Manual review is required to ensure full accessibility.

Document Structure

• Set document language and include a clear title
• Use proper heading structure (H1, H2, H3) to organize content
• Ensure logical reading order
• Use built-in list and table tools rather than manual formatting
• Avoid using text boxes or floating objects that disrupt reading order
• Avoid security settings that block assistive technologies

Legibility

• Ensure sufficient color contrast
• Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning
• Use readable fonts and appropriate font sizes
• Use plain language and clear, concise writing
• Avoid excessive formatting, animations, or clutter

Links and Navigation

• Use descriptive link text (avoid “click here”)
• Ensure links are meaningful out of context
• Add bookmarks or a table of contents for longer documents

Media and Illustrations

• Add meaningful alternative text for images, charts, and graphics
• Mark decorative images as decorative

Tables

• Use simple table structures when possible
• Define header rows and columns
• Avoid merged or split cells when they impact readability
• Provide summaries for complex tables

Forms

Do not use Word, Excel or PDF to create forms. Instead, use dedicated form tools such as Microsoft Forms, SurveyMonkey, Dynamic Forms or Workday. 

If Exporting to PDF is Required

PDFs can be difficult to make fully accessible, especially when created from scanned documents or complex layouts. 

Use PDFs only when a fixed layout is required for printing or when a document must remain unchanged as an official record.

• Export from the original source (Word, Excel) using the "Export to PDF" option to preserve as many accessibility features as possible

When possible, share content as an accessible webpage (HTML) or in its original authoring format, such as a Word or Excel. These formats are easier to maintain, work better across devices, and are typically more accessible.

Confirm PDF Accessibility After Export

• Run an accessibility check
• Ensure document title, language, and tags are set
• Verify correct reading order
• Add bookmarks for longer documents
• Test keyboard navigation
• If a PDF form is required, ensure it includes labels, instructions and full keyboard accessibility
• Review manually before publishing

Scanned or Image-Based PDFs

• Avoid scanned documents when possible
• Use OCR (optical character recognition) to convert images to text
• Carefully review and correct OCR errors
• Ensure tags and reading order are properly applied after OCR

Accessibility Tools

• Adobe Acrobat Pro for reviewing and remediating PDFs
• Accessibility checkers built into Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC) – a free tool for testing PDF accessibility and identifying compliance issues

Training and Resources

• PDF Review and ADA Compliance Instructions (SVSU)
• WebAIM: PDF Accessibility
• Make your Word documents accessible (Microsoft)
• Accessibility best practices for Excel
• Adobe: Create and verify PDF accessibility
• Creating Inclusive Content: Universal Design (SVSU IT)
• Word Help and Accessibility (SVSU IT)

Get Help

To request training or learn more about available opportunities, contact the appropriate area:

• Academic content:  Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) 
• Website, social and university communication content: Web Operations
• Instructional technology, supported tools and software: Information Technology and Support Services