University of Illinois System

Best Practices - Portable Document Format (PDF)

Safe Conversion to PDF

Converting a source file to PDF often ignores accessibility features and gives inconsistent results. This is why converting documents from a more accessible Microsoft Word, HTML, or another source file format to PDF is discouraged. If converting to PDF is the only option, refer to the subsequent sections on this page. Ensure the source file is accessible before exporting and then follow the methods below to keep accessibility features intact.

  • Converting from Word:
    1. Ensure compliance with Accessibility guidelines for Microsoft Word
    2. Go to File > Save As > Computer > Browse and a dialog box opens
    3. Set save as type dropdown to "PDF" and click on the Options button
    4. Check “Create bookmarks using:” and select the Headings option, if enabled
    5. Check the "Document structure tags for accessibility" option and click save
  • Converting from Powerpoint:
    1. Ensure compliance with Accessibility guidelines for Microsoft PowerPoint
    2. Go to File > Save As > Computer > Browse and a dialog box opens
    3. Set save as type dropdown to "PDF" and click on the Options button
    4. Check the "Document structure tags for accessibility" option and click save
  • Converting from Scanned Document: Refer to the next section
  • Converting from InDesign
  • Converting from HTML: Save as PDF from the print dialog and make it accessible using the below sections

Scanning Documents to PDF

Create a PDF from any format

Scanning is a useful way to make documents digitally available for PDF operations while ensuring accessibility. Documents ranging from hand-written notes to printed documents can be scanned. Adobe Acrobat DC can be used to convert a scanned document into a searchable PDF with selectable text. Note that the system running Acrobat DC may require the installation of drivers when working with scanners.

  1. To scan a document to PDF using Acrobat DC:
    1. Select Tools > Create PDF
    2. Choose Scanner from the left sidebar to see options
  2.  To enhance or optimize an already scanned PDF:
    1. Open the PDF created in Acrobat DC
    2. Select Tools > Scan & OCR > Enhance > Scanned Document from the dropdown

Automating Accessibility and Verification

Accessibility Checker in Adobe Acrobat

PDFs can be made accessible on Adobe Acrobat Pro. The “Make Accessible” feature identifies common elements that need action and automatically applies fixes to them. The “Accessibility Checker” feature helps adhere to common accessibility standards by exposing issues with the document and providing instructions on how to fix them manually.

  1. Go to Tools > Action Wizard > Make Accessible > Start and respond to the dialog boxes
  2. A dialog box titled "Accessibility Checker Options" opens, select the options and click on "Start Checking"
  3. The accessibility checker reveals errors on the left sidebar and each one needs to be corrected
  4. Under the title "Document" in the Accessibility Checker panel:
    1. Right-click and pass "Logical Reading Order" if the document makes sense when reading it from left to right and top to bottom
    2. Right-click and pass "Color contrast" if the document is in black type with a white background, or the foreground has good contrast with the background
  5. To learn how to correct the issues, right-click and select “Explain” to visit the Adobe website
  6. Save the file after correcting all issues

Tagging

PDF Tags in Adobe Acrobat

Tags provide a logical structure to the contents of a PDF that enables assistive technology to read them. Arranged in a hierarchical structure, tags are invisible to the reader and are identified by the type of content they contain, along with attributes relating to it. Manually adding tags on large documents can be challenging, and auto-tagging can have inaccuracies. Therefore, the recommended approach is to use auto-tagging along with applying manual fixes.

  1. Start with auto-tagging by going to Tools > Accessibility > Autotag Document
  2. Review all tags from the tag tree by selecting View > Show/Hide > Navigation Panes > Tags
  3. If tags are hidden, hold Ctrl and click on ">" located beside "Tags" to show the full tree structure
  4. Right-click on the tags and select "Highlight Content" to see the specific tag

Forms

Forms in Adobe Acrobat

Form-based PDFs are used when response collection from readers is required. They can be made accessible in Acrobat, but the process can be complicated. The more advanced a form, the more difficult it can become to make it accessible. In these cases, consider creating a form in Word or as an HTML webpage. The steps below can make simple forms accessible; however, if after following these steps it is still not accessible on checking, consider a different format. Additional effort is required as the form elements are not accessible out of the box. Labels and prompts must be associated with their appropriate fields and the tab order must be logical as users navigate using the tab key to jump fields.

  1. Automatically detect & markup form fields by going to Tools > Prepare Form > Start
  2. Check tooltips, labels/group labels, and options for checkboxes and radio buttons; repair if needed
  3. Verify that form fields have tags and check the tab order; repair if needed
  4. For more on creating forms using Acrobat, visit the Adobe help page 

Before Sharing

As mentioned in an earlier section, ensure that the source format is accessible. Documents converted from an accessible source require little effort in remediating individual elements that may have become inaccessible during conversion. The following pointers should have already been addressed but can be used as a checklist to confirm if the PDF meets minimum accessibility requirements and is ready to be shared. If any changes are needed, working on the source format is recommended as editing should be easier.

  1. Check if Alt text is available where necessary by right-clicking and viewing properties
  2. Ensure keeping a good contrast of the foreground and background; change colors or use bold if needed
  3. Use legible fonts; preferably Arial or another san-serif font at 14pt
  4. URLs must be provided with their respective hyperlinks
  5. Verify that the table has a header & no cells are merged; tab through to check the reading order
  6. Use numbered if the list is ordered and unorder if it is non-sequential
  7. Finally, read out the document loud to eliminate acronym and shorthand issues