Creating Accessible PDFs from Word: 5 Easy Steps

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a popular file format used for sharing and publishing documents online. It’s a versatile format that allows documents to be accessed and viewed on different devices, operating systems, and web browsers. If you have a Word document that you want to make accessible online, converting it to a web-accessible PDF document is a great option. In this article, we will provide steps and tips on how to make a Word document into a web-accessible PDF document.

Step 1: Prepare the Word document

Before converting a Word document to a PDF document, you need to make sure the document is properly prepared. Here are some tips:

• Use a clear and readable font style and size. Avoid using complex fonts or small font sizes, as they may be difficult to read online.
• Use headings and subheadings to organize the content of the document. Headings can help screen readers to navigate the document and improve its accessibility.
• Use alt text for images and other non-text content. Alt text is a description of the image that appears when the image cannot be displayed. This is important for accessibility, as users with visual impairments rely on alt text to understand the content of the document.
• Make sure the document is free from spelling and grammar errors.

Step 2: Convert the Word document to a PDF

Once you have prepared the Word document, you can convert it to a PDF document using the following steps:

1. Open the Word document you want to convert.
2. Click on “File” and then “Save As.”
3. Choose “PDF” as the file format from the dropdown menu.
4. Click on “Options” to configure the PDF options. Here are some tips:

• Check the box “Document structure tags for accessibility” to create a PDF that is optimized for accessibility.
• Check the box “Bitmap text when fonts may not be embedded” to ensure that text is readable even if the original font is not available.
• Choose “Standard (publishing online and printing)” from the “Optimize for” dropdown menu.

5. Click on “OK” and then “Save” to create the PDF document.

Step 3: Check the accessibility of the PDF document

After converting the Word document to a PDF document, it’s important to check its accessibility. Here are some tools you can use to check the accessibility of the PDF document:

• Adobe Acrobat Pro DC: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is a powerful PDF editor that can be used to check the accessibility of PDF documents. To check the accessibility of the PDF document, open it in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and select “Accessibility” from the “Tools” menu. The accessibility checker will provide a report of any accessibility issues and suggest ways to fix them.
• WebAIM PDF Accessibility Checker: The WebAIM PDF Accessibility Checker is a free online tool that can be used to check the accessibility of PDF documents. To use the tool, upload the PDF document to the website and the accessibility checker will provide a report of any accessibility issues and suggest ways to fix them.

Step 4: Fix any accessibility issues

If the accessibility checker identifies any accessibility issues with the PDF document, you should fix them. Here are some common accessibility issues and how to fix them:

• Missing alt text: If an image or other non-text content does not have alt text, add it.
• Poor contrast: If the text in the PDF document is difficult to read because of poor contrast, adjust the color of the text or background to improve the contrast.
• Missing headings: If the document does not have headings or the headings are not properly formatted, add or format them using the “Styles” feature in Word.
• Poorly structured content: If the content is not properly structured, use headings, lists, and other formatting options to improve its
• structure and readability.
• Inaccessible tables: If tables in the document are not accessible, use the “Table Properties” option in Word to add headers, captions, and summary descriptions to the table.
• Inaccessible links: If links in the document are not accessible, use the “Insert Hyperlink” option in Word to add a meaningful description to the link.

Step 5: Publish the PDF document online

Once you have checked and fixed any accessibility issues, you can publish the PDF document online. Here are some tips:

• Use a descriptive file name for the PDF document. A descriptive file name can help users to understand the content of the document before they open it.
• Include a brief summary or abstract of the document on the web page where the PDF is published. This can help users to decide whether the document is relevant to them.
• Use text links or buttons to link to the PDF document. This can make it easier for users to find and access the document.
• Test the PDF document on different devices and web browsers to ensure that it can be accessed and viewed correctly.

Converting a Word document to a web-accessible PDF document can improve its accessibility and make it easier for users to access and read online. By following the steps and tips outlined in this article, you can create a PDF document that is optimized for accessibility and meets the needs of all users. Remember to check the accessibility of the PDF document and fix any issues before publishing it online.