Creating accessible PDFs can be one of the trickiest parts of digital accessibility. At Digital Accessibility Office Hours, we can help you understand the basics of what makes a PDF accessible, but in-depth remediation or training on PDF tagging is outside our current scope. Here are some strategies to consider to make your PDFs accessible and compliant.

What is a complex PDF?

Complex PDFs have specific characteristics that contribute to remediation issues, such as (but not limited to):

• Complex or deeply nested tag structures
• Tables with merged cells, irregular layouts, or missing headers
• Multi-column or non-linear reading order layouts
• Embedded forms or interactive elements
• Scanned or partially scanned content (OCR-dependent)
• Images containing essential text or data visualizations
• Use of custom fonts or unusual encoding

What do I do if I have a complex PDF that is in need of remediation?

I  have a complex PDF, what do I do if it's not accessible? 

1. Assess if you need this PDF. Often times, old PDFs are out of date and should be deleted. There is also a more complicated case for archived PDFs. Can't delete it? Step 2.
2. Convert it to a web page. Need it to be in PDF format?
3. Regenerate in the original document format, using native tools. Don't have the original document?
4. Try Remediate PDF. Remediate PDF has limitations, in particular with complex PDF. However, you can try it, but if that doesn't work?
5. Engage a vendor.
6. Last resort: Provide an equivalent accessible version

Convert: Consider converting the PDF to a webpage

Often the most accessible and sustainable option is to publish the content as a webpage instead of a PDF.

• Webpages are naturally more flexible, easier to maintain, and work better with assistive technologies.
• They adapt to different screen sizes and devices automatically.
• They are easier to update when information changes, as there is no need to recreate and re-tag a new file each time.

If your PDF is intended for broad online distribution or is content-heavy (like reports, guides, or newsletters), moving it to the web provides the best long-term accessibility outcome.

Regenerate: Use the original tool and the accessibility checker

Do you have the original document? If so, this is so much easier than remediating it in PDF form. Open the original document in the original application (Word, Canva, PowerPoint, etc), and run it through the accessibility checker in the original application, then generate a new PDF. Many times the original application has accessibility tools that can help you remediate it, and it is significantly easier to correct those problems in the original program. 

Try Using Remediate PDF to remediate my complex PDF

Remediate PDF has limitations, in particular with complex PDF. We have found that Remediate PDF introduced errors into larger, more complex PDFs. You are welcome to try it. The report showing before and after will let you know if the tool introduced new errors when it attempted to resolve the existing one. However, be aware that you will likely need to still manually correct your PDF. 

Engage: Find a vendor to remediate

Sometimes you don't have the original PDF and still need the PDF format. In those cases, you’ll likely need professional remediation to meet accessibility standards. 

Vendors who specialize in document accessibility can ensure proper reading order, tagging, and testing with screen readers.

The downside to this is obviously cost. You can look at our guide to estimating remediation costs, and our list of accessibility vendors to help you get started. 

If your team produces PDFs regularly, a vendor can also train your staff or build templates that start accessible from the source.

Provide: An equivalent accessible alternative format

When full PDF remediation isn’t feasible, you can offer an equivalent accessible version, for example:

• An webpage version of the core content.
• A plain-text file (if visual layout isn’t critical).
• A structured Word document.

If you choose to maintain two versions, they must always be kept in sync to ensure consistency and accuracy across formats. Consider the PDF version as a secondary, supplementary option and should be linked from the accessible version for convenience. It’s best to cross-link both files for easy navigation.

What we can do in Office Hours

Digital Accessibility Office Hours is a great place to bring your accessibility questions. Complex PDF remediation is beyond the scope of what our Digital Accessibility team can assist with, however, we can help you:

• Review your document in Siteimprove with you and help you identify accessibility risks.
• Demonstrate basic PDF remediation, for example, how to resolve the Siteimprove issue "The document has no title."
• Advise whether converting to another file format or engaging a vendor makes the most sense.
• Connect you with UCSF’s recommended vendors or resources for accessible document production.

Remember that removing or archiving PDFs that you don't use is the best way to prevent them for putting your site at risk for accessibility noncompliance.