PDF Not Accessible? How to Make a PDF Easier to Use With Screen Readers

A PDF can look normal and still be difficult for someone using a screen reader. The file may be missing useful structure such as headings, document tags, alternative text for meaningful images, a sensible reading order, or descriptive links.

The most reliable fix is usually to improve the original Word or other source document first, then export a new PDF with accessibility information preserved. Microsoft recommends running its Accessibility Checker before creating the PDF because Microsoft 365 can use source information when it creates accessibility tags.

Quick solution

1. Keep the original PDF unchanged as a backup.
2. If you still have the source document, open that file instead of repairing everything in the PDF.
3. Use real heading styles, descriptive link text, and alt text for meaningful images.
4. Check tables and the intended reading order.
5. Run the source application’s accessibility checker when available.
6. Export a fresh PDF using the application’s PDF option that preserves accessibility information.
7. Open the new PDF and verify navigation, links, text selection, and reading order.

If you need to convert a corrected Word document, use the RevifyHub Word to PDF tool. Conversion alone cannot create missing semantic structure that was never present in the source, so fix the document first when accessibility matters.

Why a PDF can look fine but still be difficult to navigate

A sighted reader can infer that large bold text is a heading or that a group of cells is a table. Assistive technology needs more explicit document structure. Microsoft explains that accessibility tags can carry information used for navigation, including headings, tables of contents, hyperlinks, bookmarks, and alternative text.

This is why simply making text larger or changing colors does not solve every accessibility problem. The underlying structure matters too.

Step 1: fix the source document first

If the PDF came from Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or another authoring application and you still have that source file, start there. Repairing structure before export is usually easier than rebuilding it after the PDF has already been created.

Check that section titles use actual heading styles instead of manually enlarged body text. Use meaningful link labels such as download the application form instead of repeated click here links. Add concise alternative text to informative images.

Step 2: check heading structure

Headings should describe the organization of the document. Use a logical hierarchy for sections and subsections. Do not choose heading levels only because of how they look. Consistent structure makes navigation easier and the document easier to maintain.

Step 3: add useful alt text

Alt text should communicate the information a reader needs from an image, not merely repeat the filename. A chart may need a short description of its purpose or key information. If an image contains complex data, provide the essential information in nearby text or another accessible format rather than forcing every detail into a short description.

Step 4: make links understandable

Descriptive link text helps a reader understand where a link goes. Read the PDF compression guide is clearer than several links that all say click here.

If links disappear after conversion, see our guide to keeping Word-to-PDF hyperlinks clickable. Test every important link after export.

Step 5: check tables before export

Use tables for real tabular information rather than for page layout. Keep the structure as simple as the data allows and identify header rows using the options available in your source application. Avoid unnecessary merged cells because complex layouts can make relationships between headers and data harder to understand.

Step 6: run an accessibility checker

Microsoft recommends running the Accessibility Checker before generating a PDF from Microsoft 365. Treat the checker as a diagnostic aid, not proof that every user will have a perfect experience. Review the issues it reports and correct the source content where practical.

Step 7: use an accessibility-aware PDF export

Use the source application’s Save As or Export to PDF workflow when it offers accessibility options. Microsoft’s current guidance says Microsoft 365 can add accessibility tags automatically when a file is saved as PDF, using information from the source document.

A generic print-to-PDF workflow is designed around printed appearance and may not preserve the same document structure. If accessibility is important, use the application’s documented accessible-PDF export path and then test the result.

Step 8: verify the exported PDF

• Confirm normal body text can be selected and copied.
• Test important hyperlinks.
• Check keyboard navigation through interactive content.
• Review whether headings and sections follow a logical sequence.
• Check important image descriptions.
• Confirm tables still make sense when read in sequence.

If you cannot select any text because the PDF is actually a scan, the first problem may be text recognition rather than document tagging. Read our guide to fixing PDF text that cannot be selected or copied.

What if the PDF is scanned?

A scan may contain page images rather than machine-readable text. OCR can recognize text, but OCR and accessibility are not the same thing. Recognized text still needs sensible structure, reading order, headings, image descriptions, and other document information where relevant.

Start by making the text searchable, then review the recognized text for errors. Names, numbers, tables, low-contrast scans, and unusual layouts deserve extra attention.

What if you no longer have the source file?

You may need a PDF editor that can inspect and repair tags, reading order, alternative text, form fields, and other accessibility properties. For a complex document, recreating an accessible source can sometimes be more reliable than repairing a badly structured PDF page by page.

Keep the original while you work and compare the repaired version against it so accessibility changes do not accidentally remove visible content.

Common mistakes

• Using bold or large text instead of actual heading styles.
• Assuming a visually attractive PDF is automatically accessible.
• Adding the same vague alt text to every image.
• Using click here for many unrelated links.
• Using tables only to position content.
• Running OCR on a scan and assuming the job is finished.
• Exporting once and never checking the resulting PDF.

Limitations and tradeoffs

Accessibility is not a single switch. A simple text report may need headings and link cleanup, while a form, complex table, scientific paper, or image-heavy brochure may require more specialized remediation and testing.

Automated checkers can find many technical issues, but they cannot fully determine whether wording, reading order, alt text, or interaction makes sense to a real reader. High-stakes documents may need testing with assistive technology and specialist review.

How to verify the final result

1. Save the corrected source separately.
2. Export a new PDF using the application’s accessibility-aware PDF option.
3. Open the PDF in a reader that exposes document navigation and accessibility information.
4. Test headings, links, text selection, and keyboard navigation.
5. Spot-check image descriptions and tables.
6. Run an available accessibility checker on the PDF.
7. For important documents, test with assistive technology when possible.

Final takeaway

If a PDF is difficult to use with a screen reader, begin with the source document whenever possible. Add meaningful structure there, run the accessibility checker, export through the application’s supported PDF workflow, and verify the finished file. Conversion is only one step; source structure and final testing make the workflow dependable.

References: Microsoft Support: Create accessible PDFs and Adobe Acrobat accessibility guidance.