Why Accessibility Matters in PDFs

The importance of accessible PDFs

PDF (Portable Document Format) is one of the most widely used document formats for sharing information in government and business. When PDFs are not accessible, they create barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing important information, services, and opportunities.

Accessible PDFs ensure that:

• Everyone can access information: People using screen readers, magnification software, or other assistive technologies can read and navigate the content
• Communication is inclusive: All employees and citizens can participate fully in work and civic activities
• Content is findable: Properly structured PDFs are easier to search and index

Creating accessible PDFs from the start is much easier and more cost-effective than trying to fix inaccessible documents later. When you export accessible PDFs from Word or PowerPoint, you're building accessibility into your workflow rather than treating it as an afterthought.

How people use assistive technology with PDFs

To understand why PDF accessibility is so important, it's helpful to know how people with disabilities interact with digital content. Many rely on assistive technologies that help them read, navigate, and understand documents.

• Screen readers: Software that reads text aloud and describes document structure (e.g., JAWS, NVDA, Narrator)
• Screen magnification: Software that enlarges portions of the screen for people with low vision
• Keyboard navigation: Navigating without a mouse using Tab, arrow keys, and other keyboard commands
• Text-to-speech: Tools that read text aloud for people with reading disabilities or cognitive differences

For these technologies to work properly, PDFs must have proper structure, tags, and alternative text for images. Without these features, a screen reader might read content in the wrong order, skip important information, or describe images as "image" without explaining what they show.

Microsoft 365 and PDF accessibility

Microsoft 365 applications (Word and PowerPoint on Windows) include built-in features to help you create and export accessible PDFs:

• Accessibility Checker: Built-in tool that identifies accessibility issues before exporting
• Structured content: Heading styles, lists, and tables that preserve structure in PDFs
• Alt text support: Easy ways to add alternative text descriptions for images
• Tagged PDF export: Option to include accessibility tags when saving as PDF
• Document properties: Fields for title, author, and subject that help with navigation

When you use these features correctly and export with the right settings, Microsoft 365 can produce PDFs that meet or approach PDF/UA compliance. The key is following best practices during document creation and using the proper export options.