Creating Accessible PDFs Guidance for State Agencies

Accessible Document Guide

Creating Accessible Word Documents and Converting Them to Accessible PDFs

📄 Purpose
This guide explains how to create accessible documents in Microsoft Word and convert them into accessible PDFs. Following these steps ensures documents can be used by everyone, including people who rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers.

💡 Key Idea: Accessibility starts when the document is created — not after it becomes a PDF.

🧩 1. Start with the Approved Template

Using the official Word template helps ensure the document starts with an accessible structure.

Templates typically include:

✔ accessible fonts
✔ correct spacing
✔ built-in heading styles
✔ consistent formatting

🧭 2. Use Built-In Heading Styles

Headings provide structure and allow screen reader users to navigate quickly.

Use Word’s Styles panel:

Level	Example
Heading 1		Main Section
Heading 2		Subsection
Heading 3		Sub-Subsection

⚠️ Avoid manually formatting headings using bold text or larger fonts.

🔢 3. Use Structured Numbering for Policy Documents

Policy documents should use Word’s multilevel numbering.

Example structure:

1. Policy Section
   1.1 Subsection
   1.1.1 Subsection

✔ Use Word’s numbering tools
❌ Do not manually type numbers

This preserves structure when converting to PDF.

🔗 4. Write Descriptive Links

Links should describe their destination.

✔ Good example
Visit the Maine Accessibility website for guidance.

❌ Avoid
Click here

Screen reader users often navigate by link text.

🖼 5. Add Alt Text to Images

Images, charts, and diagrams must include alternative text (alt text).

Alt text explains the meaning of the image.

Example:

“Bar chart showing accessibility scores increasing from 70% to 92%.”

Decorative images can be marked as decorative.

📊 6. Format Tables Properly

Tables should only be used for data, not layout.

Best practices:

• identify header rows
• keep tables simple
• avoid merged cells when possible

Proper structure allows screen readers to interpret the table.

📋 7. Use Built-In Lists

Create lists using Word’s tools:

• bulleted lists
• numbered lists

❌ Do not manually type bullets or numbers.

🎨 8. Ensure Good Color Contrast

Text must be readable against the background.

Avoid:

• light gray text
• colored text on colored backgrounds
• relying only on color to convey meaning

🔍 9. Run the Accessibility Checker

Before converting to PDF:

1. Select Review
2. Choose Check Accessibility

The checker identifies issues such as:

• missing alt text
• unclear headings
• table structure problems

Resolve errors before moving forward.

📥 10. Save the Document as a PDF

Use:

File → Save As → PDF

Ensure the option Document structure tags for accessibility is selected.

This preserves headings and document structure.

⚠️ Important

❌ Do NOT use Print to PDF

Printing removes the structure needed for accessibility.

✔ Quick PDF Accessibility Check

Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro and verify:

• Document title is set
• Document language is defined
• Headings are tagged correctly
• Reading order is logical
• Tables are tagged correctly
• Bookmarks exist for longer documents

If major issues appear, correct the Word document and regenerate the PDF.

⭐ Key Principle

Accessible PDFs begin with accessible Word documents.

Correct structure in Word ensures accessibility carries through automatically during PDF conversion.

Fixing accessibility in the source document is almost always easier than fixing the final PDF.

✔ Accessibility is built in — not added late