PDF (Portable Document Format) is a popular and commonly-used format for the delivery of visually formatted documents, typically intended for printing. PDF documents (PDFs) may be created in one of several ways, and may contain text, images, links, lists, tables, and other common document objects.
PDF is a destination format; documents and content are created using various applications and tools, and then exported to PDF for use and distribution. Some examples:
- Documents are created using tools like Microsoft Word or Adobe InDesign, and then saved as PDF;
- Pages from a book or journal are digitized to PDF from a scanner;
- Online design tools like Canva include PDF in a list of export formats;
- A collection of diverse files is collected into a PDF binder using Adobe Acrobat
Depending on the content and construction of a PDF, it may pose significant accessibility barriers to some users, including users of assistive technology. Before you share or distribute a PDF, you should take steps to ensure that the content is accessible to all users. In this section, we will look at some common accessibility barriers in PDF, and ways to prevent accessibility barriers and to remediate them when necessary.
PDF Resources
Accessible Document Practices in Adobe Acrobat Pro (PDF, 1.2 MB)