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Free PDF accessibility checker: PDFs count too.

Tags, title, language, bookmarks, alt text, headings, tables, form labels and scanned pages. 11 checks in a few seconds, and your file never leaves your browser.

Your PDF never leaves your browser. It’s read on this device, in this tab. Nothing is uploaded and nothing is kept. If you email yourself a copy, only the report is sent.

Up to 100 MB. Bigger files can run a browser out of memory.

How it works

  1. Choose a PDF.

    Pick one or drop it in. It’s read right here, in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

  2. Read the report.

    11 checks, each marked fix, check, passed or doesn’t apply, with what we found and why it matters.

  3. Fix and check again.

    Each finding says how to fix it in Word, InDesign or Acrobat. Fix it at the source if you can, export again, then test with a screen reader.

What it checks

  • Tags

    There’s a structure tree, the file is marked as tagged, and standard tags aren’t renamed.

    WCAG 1.3.1, 1.3.2 · Matterhorn 01, 02

  • Document title

    A real title, and the file tells readers to show it instead of the file name.

    WCAG 2.4.2 · PDF18 · Matterhorn 06, 07

  • Language

    A document language a screen reader can use.

    WCAG 3.1.1 · PDF16 · Matterhorn 11

  • Bookmarks

    Present in documents over 9 pages.

    WCAG 2.4.5, 2.4.1 · PDF2

  • Images and alt text

    How many images are drawn, how many Figure tags there are, and how many have alt text.

    WCAG 1.1.1 · PDF1, PDF4 · Matterhorn 13

  • Headings

    Heading tags exist, and their levels don’t skip.

    WCAG 1.3.1, 2.4.1 · PDF9 · Matterhorn 14

  • Table headers

    Every tagged table has header cells.

    WCAG 1.3.1 · PDF6 · Matterhorn 15

  • Form field labels

    Every fillable field has a tooltip to speak.

    WCAG 1.3.1, 3.3.2, 4.1.2 · PDF10, PDF12 · Matterhorn 28

  • Real text

    Pages that are only an image, with no text layer: scans that need OCR.

    WCAG 1.4.5, 1.1.1 · PDF7 · Matterhorn 08

  • Security settings

    Encryption that would lock assistive technology out.

    PDF/UA 7.16 · Matterhorn 26

  • Tab order

    Pages with links or fields set tab order to follow the structure.

    WCAG 2.4.3, 2.1.1 · PDF3 · Matterhorn 28

WCAG numbers are success criteria; PDF numbers are W3C’s PDF techniques; Matterhorn numbers are the PDF Association’s checkpoints for PDF/UA. Every finding in a report links to its source.

Questions

PDFs, explained.

  • No. The file is read by your browser, on your device, and the report is built there too. The file is never sent to us or anyone else, and nothing is kept: close the tab and it’s gone. If you email yourself a copy, only the report’s results are sent, so we can write the email. You can check it yourself: open your browser’s network tools, run a check and watch for requests. There won’t be any carrying your file.

  • Not necessarily. Automated checks find what’s missing, such as tags, a title, a language or alt text. They can’t tell whether the reading order makes sense, whether the alt text is accurate, whether the contrast is enough or whether the tags match the page. A passing report is a good sign, not a certificate. Test with a screen reader, and use a fuller checker such as Acrobat Pro’s Accessibility Checker or PAC.

  • A PDF with a hidden structure tree that says what each piece of the page is: this is a heading, this is a list, this is a table, this image means this. Screen readers read the tags, not the page, so an untagged PDF is close to unreadable for them. Most tools can export tags if you use real styles: Word, InDesign and Google Docs all can.

  • Yes, in general. The Justice Department’s rule for state and local governments covers documents posted on their websites, PDFs included, with some exceptions such as archived content and certain older documents. The standard is WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Our ADA Title II checklist has the dates and a plan.

  • Some PDFs need a password just to open. If you have it, type it in and the check carries on. Like the file, the password stays in your browser and is only used to open the PDF there.

  • Any PDF up to 100 MB. The checks run in your browser, and bigger files can run it out of memory. For a very large file, try a reduced-size copy. Forms built only in XFA (some older government forms) can’t be inspected.

  • No. It’s a planning aid: a quick way to see what a PDF is missing and what to fix first. For what the law means for your organization, talk to your attorney.

Sources

For state and local governments: our ADA Title II checklist has the dates and a plan.

One file is a start.

Most sites have hundreds of PDFs. We audit them alongside the pages, help you decide what to fix, convert or retire, and train the people who publish them.

Our accessibility workMore odds and ends