Checking the accessibility of a PDF

There are accessibility scan tools available online for free. For the sake of consistency in our report results, we use Adobe Pro* to check for accessibility errors when we receive a request to update a PDF on the site. This is the process to follow to run the accessibility check and export the report to share with the requester if there are errors.

To check the accessibility of a PDF using Adobe Pro, open the document and select Tools > Accessibility > “Full Check.”

When the "Accessibility Checker Options" screen pops-up, choose where you want the accessibility report to be saved. Keep all of the check boxes selected, and press "Start Checking."

The results of the accessibility check will show in the panel on the left. If there aren't errors, you can post the document on the site. If there are errors, you will save the accessibility report in a PDF in order to share it with the requester.

To create a PDF version of the accessibility report, go to File > Create > "PDF from File."

Find the location you chose to save the accessibility report, and click on the html version of the accessibility report.

The new pdf version of the accessibility report will open up. Save it, and send it to the requester (preferably through GitHub issue) to fix the errors.

*This is not an endorsement of Adobe Pro or any other product.