Before a PDF goes onto a website or to a customer, you can find out in a minute whether it has the basics that assistive technology needs: a tag structure, a document language, a title, headings, alternative text for images, labels on form fields. Missing basics are the most common reason a screen reader cannot read a PDF at all.
This is a technical preflight. It reads what the file declares and says clearly what it cannot judge. It is not a WCAG, PDF/UA or EN 301 549 conformance test and it never certifies a document.
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Overview
About PDF Accessibility Checker
What is checked. Whether the catalog says the document is tagged (/MarkInfo /Marked) and has a structure tree; whether a document language is set and looks like a language tag; whether a title exists and the viewer is told to show it; how many heading elements are tagged; how many figures in the structure tree have alternative text; whether data tables have header cells; whether form fields have a label (tooltip); whether pages with links or fields set the tab order to follow the structure; whether link annotations have a description; whether the document has bookmarks (flagged only for longer documents); whether the first 40 pages contain a text layer (pages that are only pictures cannot be read by a screen reader); and whether the file claims PDF/UA in its metadata.
What cannot be checked. Whether the reading order is logical, whether alternative text is meaningful, whether heading levels are used sensibly, whether the language changes inside the text are marked, and colour contrast. The result lists these as not checked. For colours, see the Screenshot Color Contrast Checker.
Standards, briefly. WCAG 2.2 is the web content standard; PDF/UA (ISO 14289) is the PDF-specific one; in Europe EN 301 549 is the standard that public bodies and, under the European Accessibility Act, many services refer to. Its V3.2.1 refers to WCAG 2.1 and the revised V4.1.1 refers to WCAG 2.2. This tool is a technical aid in the direction of those standards; it does not test against any of them.
What to do with the result. Fix problems in the source program (Word, LibreOffice, InDesign) and export again with accessibility options on, rather than patching the PDF. Then test with a full checker and a screen reader.
Compatibility
Supported Formats
PDF files up to 50 MB. Text presence is checked on the first 40 pages. Encrypted PDFs are not opened. Reading-order and meaning cannot be assessed from a file alone.
Guide
How to Use PDF Accessibility Checker
- Drag in the PDF. It is read in your browser.
- Read the summary line and then each check. Items marked Fail are missing basics; Check items need a look.
- Fix the source document and export again. Run the check once more.
- Finish with a full accessibility checker and a manual test with a screen reader.
Highlights
Features
- The basics, in one list Tagging, structure tree, language, title, headings, figures, tables, form labels, bookmarks and text layer.
- Says what it cannot see Reading order, alt-text quality and contrast are listed as not checked, not silently skipped.
- Plain next steps Points you to fixing the source document and testing with a full checker and a screen reader.
- In your browser The PDF is analysed locally and is not uploaded.
Applications
Use Cases
- A fast check before publishing a PDF on a website or intranet
- Finding out whether a supplier's PDF is tagged at all
- Spotting scanned pages that have no text layer
- Checking that form fields have labels before you distribute a form
- Producing a list of basics to fix before a formal accessibility audit
Good to Know
Limitations
Technical preflight, not legal certification. A PDF can pass every item here and still be unusable, for example when the tag order is wrong or alternative text says "image". A PDF that fails some items can still be partly usable. The tool makes no statement about conformance with WCAG, PDF/UA, EN 301 549 or the law.
Presence is checked, not quality: an empty or meaningless alt text can pass or fail depending on whether it is empty, and decorative images tagged as artifacts are not counted. Colour contrast is not measured.
This tool runs entirely in your browser — your file is never uploaded to our servers. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a pass mean my PDF is accessible?
No. It means the basics this tool can see are present. Accessibility needs checks a program cannot make, such as reading order and meaningful alternative text. Test with a full checker and a screen reader.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. It is read and analysed in your browser.
What does "tagged" mean?
The PDF contains a structure (headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, figures) in addition to the visible page, so assistive technology can read the content in a logical order instead of guessing.
Why does a scanned PDF fail?
A scan is a picture of a page. Without a text layer a screen reader has nothing to read. Text recognition (OCR) and tagging are needed; the PDF Text Editor on this site includes OCR but does not tag.
Can I certify my PDF as WCAG or PDF/UA compliant with this?
No. This tool is a technical preflight and says so in every result. Certification claims need a full test.
Which standard version applies?
It depends on the law or contract that applies to you. EN 301 549 V3.2.1 refers to WCAG 2.1 and V4.1.1 refers to WCAG 2.2; check which one your obligation names.
Keep Going
Related Tools
- PDF/A Checker & Converter Check which PDF/A level a PDF declares and spot common problems in your browser. Convert to PDF/A-1b, -2b or -3b on the server if you need to.
- Screenshot Color Contrast Checker Pick the text and background colours from a screenshot (or type them) and see the WCAG contrast ratio with pass or fail for each level. In your browser.
- PDF Personal Data Scanner Scan a PDF for likely personal and payment identifiers (IBAN, email, phone, VAT and ID numbers) before you share it. A detection aid; runs in your browser.
- PDF Colour Space Checker for Print Check if a PDF is CMYK: lists the RGB, CMYK, gray, spot, DeviceN and ICC-based colours it paints with, page by page, plus output intent and PDF/X indicators. A preflight inspection. In your browser.
- EPUB Accessibility Checker EPUB accessibility checker: reads metadata, language, navigation, headings, image alt text, tables and links of an EPUB and lists technical findings. A preflight, not a legal assessment. In your browser.
- DOCX Heading & Numbering Structure Checker Check the heading structure of a Word document: skipped levels, fake bold headings, empty headings, inconsistent or duplicate numbering and an out-of-date table of contents. In your browser.