How to check if a PDF is accessible in Acrobat and Word

Why a checker is only the first step

Accessibility checkers are fast and useful. They spot missing tags, images with no alt text, a missing document title and more in seconds. But they test whether something exists, not whether it is right.

A checker can confirm an image has alt text. It cannot tell you that "image1.png" is a useless description. Willamette University's accessibility guide puts it directly: automated checkers "cannot evaluate context," so a person still has to confirm that alt text makes sense and the reading order is logical.

The most reliable routine has three parts: check the source file, export carefully, then check the PDF by machine and by hand.

Step 1: Check the Word file before you export

Most accessibility problems start in the source document, and they are much easier to fix there.

In Word for Windows, Microsoft's steps are:

1. Go to the Review tab and select Check Accessibility.

2. A pane opens on the right with a list of errors and warnings, with how-to-fix recommendations for each.

3. Work through the list. If the Review tab has no button, older versions put it under File, Info, Check for Issues, Check Accessibility.

Common findings and quick fixes:

• Missing alt text: right-click the image and add a description of its purpose.

• No header row in a table: select the table, open the Table Design tab and tick Header Row.

• Text formatted to look like headings: apply the built-in Heading 1, Heading 2 and Heading 3 styles instead of bold, large text. Microsoft advises keeping headings in logical order without skipping levels.

• Vague link text: change "click here" to something like "Northgate Library opening hours."

• Low contrast: use darker text or a lighter background.

Step 2: Export with tags turned on

A clean Word file can still become an untagged PDF if you export it the wrong way. Microsoft says to run the Accessibility Checker first, then:

1. Go to File, then Save As or Save a Copy.

2. Choose PDF as the file type.

3. Select Options (on some screens, More options first).

4. Make sure Document structure tags for accessibility is ticked, then select OK and save.

Printing to PDF through a "print to PDF" driver usually skips this structure, so use Save As instead.

Step 3: Run the Accessibility Checker in Acrobat Pro

Adobe says you need Acrobat Pro to create accessible PDFs, and that Acrobat Pro includes an Accessibility Checker "to assist authors in evaluating and fixing issues." Adobe also recommends running it on files made in other programs, since export can miss things.

The menu names change between versions. University guides describe the route as opening the Accessibility tool and choosing Accessibility Check (older versions call it Full Check), then starting the check.

The report groups items by category, such as document, page content, forms, alternate text, tables, lists and headings. For each item:

• Passed means the automatic test found nothing.

• Failed means something is missing or wrong. Right-click it for an explanation and, for some items, a Fix option.

• Needs manual check means the checker cannot decide. Reading order and color contrast typically land here.

Run the check again after fixing things, since one fix can expose another issue.

Step 4: Check by hand

This is the part that cannot be skipped.

Reading order. Use a screen reader or a read-aloud feature and listen to at least the first few pages. W3C's PDF technique on reading order (PDF3) gives this test: listen with a screen reader or read-aloud tool and confirm the order is correct. Free screen readers exist for Windows (such as NVDA), and Mac and iPhone include VoiceOver.

Tab order. Press Tab through any links and form fields. Focus should move in a sensible order.

Headings. Open the Tags panel or a screen reader's heading list. Do the headings form an outline that matches the document? W3C's heading technique (PDF9) tests exactly this.

Alt text. Read each description. Does it explain the purpose of the image? Is a decorative image marked as an artifact instead?

Tables. Check that header cells are marked, and that a screen reader announces the column name with each value.

Contrast. The University of Nevada, Reno recommends a contrast analyzer tool and notes that color should never be the only way meaning is shown.

Title and language. Open the document properties. The title should be a real title, and the language should match the text.

A sample check, start to finish

Here is a fictional example. The Northgate Parks Department exports its two-page "Summer programs 2026" flyer from Word.

1. Word's checker flags one missing alt text (a photo of a pool) and a table without a header row. Both are fixed in two minutes.

2. The file is saved as a PDF with document structure tags turned on.

3. Acrobat's check passes most items and lists reading order and contrast for manual checking.

4. A read-aloud test reveals that a text box with the registration deadline is read last, after the footer. It gets moved in the source file and exported again.

That last problem is typical. Floating text boxes and sidebars are a common cause of reading order trouble.

What to keep as evidence

If your organization needs to show its work, save:

• the final checker report,

• a short note of the manual checks you did and when,

• the version of the PDF you checked.

Which standard you test against (for example WCAG 2.1 AA, WCAG 2.2 AA or PDF/UA) depends on the law or policy that applies to you.

When the file is long or already published

Fixing one flyer by hand is manageable. Fixing a 200-page report or a library of older scans is not. EasyToDecode is building a tool, launching soon, that will turn an existing PDF into a tagged file with headings, reading order and table structure, and draft alt text for review.

Get a report you can act on

You upload the PDF and get back the tagged file plus a report against PDF/UA and WCAG checks that shows what passed and what still needs a person. It does not certify compliance. See how it works or join the waitlist.