The number one accessibility error we see with PDF documents is “missing document title” and we have an EASY fix!
State the document title in the document properties of the original document (such as Word or PowerPoint) BEFORE saving it as PDF.
️How To Do It
Start every document by applying the Title as soon as you open it:
- In Word and PowerPoint, go to File > Info > Properties > Title
- While you’re at it, set the Author and Language of your document, these are also very helpful!
Run an Accessibility Check Before Exporting to PDF:
- Go to Review > Check Accessibility
- Follow the suggestions to fix issues. You might need to fix things like missing alt text, headings, or table structure.
Finally — Export to PDF: Once your document passes accessibility checks:
- In Word: File > Save As > PDF (ensure “Document structure tags for accessibility” is checked)
Starting with an accessible source ensures your final PDF is inclusive, readable by screen readers, and compliant with federal, state and local accessibility guidelines.