Some of your buyers use screen readers, magnification or other assistive tools. An ebook or workbook that’s just a picture of text is hard or impossible for them to use. Making your PDFs more accessible doesn’t take a big budget, and most of the work happens before you export.
Start in the source file
WebAIM, a nonprofit accessibility organization, points out that fixing a finished PDF is usually harder than fixing the document it came from. Build structure in your source file and export it properly:
- Use real headings. Apply heading styles instead of just making text bigger and bold.
- Add alt text to meaningful images and mark purely decorative ones as decorative.
- Use real lists and simple tables. Tables with several header levels need extra cleanup.
- Write descriptive link text, such as “download the budget worksheet” instead of “click here.”
- Avoid “Print to PDF.” WebAIM notes it strips headings, alt text and other tags.
If you design in Canva
Canva’s help center says it can export tagged PDFs. Choose PDF, pick the Digital preset and leave Flatten PDF unchecked, because flattening removes the tags. You can add alt text to elements, adjust heading levels under File > Accessibility, and set a language for screen readers. Canva says its automatic reading order works best for simple, linear layouts, and its accessibility checker covers visual issues only, so you still need to check headings and reading order yourself.
Older accessibility guides list Canva among tools whose PDFs need heavy repair, so it’s worth checking the output rather than assuming.
Check the finished PDF
Adobe Acrobat Pro includes an Accessibility Checker under Prepare for accessibility. According to Adobe’s help pages, it flags missing alt text, tags and reading-order problems, and lets you set a document title and primary language. Even if you don’t own Acrobat Pro, open your PDF and try tabbing through it, or use a screen reader’s free trial, to spot obvious gaps.
Accessibility rules for businesses vary, so treat this as general good practice, not legal advice. For a related build guide, see how to create a fillable PDF workbook.
Sources
- WebAIM: Converting Documents to PDF
- Canva Help Center: PDF accessibility features
- Adobe Help: Create and verify PDF accessibility (Acrobat Pro)
Featured image: Photo: StockSnap (CC0)