What to Look For (Everyone)
If a page links to a PDF, ask:
- Is this information also available as a webpage?
- Does the PDF contain important instructions, forms, or requirements?
- Is the PDF fillable?
- Does it look like a scanned image?
Red flags:
- PDFs used instead of webpages for basic content
- forms that must be printed and filled out by hand
- scanned documents (they look like photos of paper)
- PDFs that open but can’t be searched or selected
If you see any of these, the PDF likely needs attention.
Why This Matters
PDFs are not automatically accessible.
Even if a document was properly styled in Word:
- headings
- lists
- tables
- form fields
those do not reliably survive conversion to PDF.
Once uploaded, many PDFs:
- lose structure
- become unreadable to screen readers
- have unlabeled form fields
- become “flat images” when scanned
This means:
- people using screen readers cannot navigate the content
- forms cannot be completed digitally
- users may be blocked from required services
PDFs are one of the most common ADA failures because they look fine to sighted users.
Important Reality
A Word document that was “formatted correctly” does NOT guarantee an accessible PDF. A PDF must be explicitly remediated and tagged for accessibility.
Most PDFs on websites are not.
Simple Mental Model
Webpages are naturally accessible. PDFs must be manually prepared to be accessible.
If that extra work is not done, the PDF is probably inaccessible.
Forms Need Special Attention
Many existing PDF forms fail accessibility because:
- they were designed like paper forms
- fields are not fillable
- labels are missing
- tab order is incorrect
- instructions are embedded in images
- or the entire form is a scanned picture
Scanned forms are completely inaccessible to screen readers.
If someone must print a form to complete it, that is already a barrier.
When PDFs Should Be Used
- PDFs should be limited to:
- official documents that must retain exact formatting
- documents intended primarily for printing
Examples:
- legal forms
- official reports
- archival documents
Everything else should be webpages whenever possible.
When PDFs Should NOT Be Used
Avoid PDFs for:
- instructions
- program information
- requirements
- schedules
- general content
- anything users need to read online
These belong on web pages.
How to Fix It (Editors)
For existing PDFs:
- Ask: does this need to be a PDF?
- If not, convert content into an HTML webpage.
- If the PDF must remain:
- do not assume it is accessible
For forms:
- Prefer web forms whenever possible.
- If a PDF form is required:
- it must be fillable
- fields must be properly labeled
- reading order must be logical
- instructions must exist as real text
- Scanned forms must be replaced or rebuilt.
For new content:
- Create webpages instead of PDFs.
- If starting in Word:
- use proper headings
- simple tables
- real lists
- then consult the web team before publishing as PDF.
Never upload PDFs directly without review.
Practical Rule of Thumb
If a PDF:
- contains instructions
- collects information
- provides requirements
- replaces webpage content
…it almost certainly needs remediation or conversion to HTML.
Common PDF Problems to Watch For
- PDFs that are images only
- text cannot be selected
- form fields missing or unlabeled
- documents opened in browser with no reading order
- users asked to print and hand-write
All are accessibility failures.
Do / Don’t
DO
- Use webpages instead of PDFs when possible
- Make forms digital and accessible
- Contact the web team for PDF remediation
- Replace scanned documents
DON’T
- Upload Word → PDF files without review
- Post scanned documents
- Use PDFs for basic web content
- Assume formatting survived conversion