How to review PDF accessibility beyond selectable text
A readable-looking PDF can still be difficult to navigate with assistive technology. Use both document-structure checks and a human reading test. PDF Tools Club's PDF Info shows basic indicators; it does not establish WCAG or PDF/UA conformance.
Start in the source document
When you control the original word-processing or layout file, use real headings, lists, table headers and descriptive links before exporting a tagged PDF. Repairing the exported PDF is harder when structure has already been flattened into pictures.
Review four separate aspects
- Words: try selecting and copying a passage. OCR can add recognized text to a scan, but mistakes and missing structure still need attention.
- Reading order: listen with a screen reader or use an accessibility inspection tool. Columns should not interleave unrelated sentences. Tab through links and fields in a logical sequence.
- Meaning: check headings, list structure, table relationships and descriptions for meaningful images. Decorative images should not interrupt the reading experience.
- Presentation: check contrast, readable type and navigation at increased zoom. A document title and language setting help but do not replace the other checks.
A concrete two-column failure
Suppose a newsletter looks correct visually but a screen reader alternates each line of the left column with a line of the right. Extracting selectable words has not solved that problem. Review the tags and reading sequence in a suitable editor. The W3C PDF reading-order technique explains why the navigation and content order need to agree.
Check after PDF processing
Merge, split and layout operations can discard document-level tags, bookmarks or form relationships. Rasterization turns text into images. If accessibility is required, retain the structured source, verify the final document with an appropriate checker and perform a manual assistive-technology review. A working thumbnail preview is not an accessibility test.
Record what was actually checked
State the checker, document version, problems found and manual tests performed. Do not call a file accessible solely because PDF Info reports text or language. For a required standard, follow the receiving institution's validation process and fix the source or use a capable remediation editor.
Updated October 29, 2026 · PDF Tools Club. Examples use synthetic documents; keep your own originals.