AccessClerk

How to make agenda, minutes and form PDFs accessible

Last updated October 23, 2026

The quickest way is to get it right in Word before you make the PDF. Here are the steps, plus what to do when all you have is the PDF.

Short answer: write the document in Word using its built-in headings, lists and alt text, fill in the title, then use Save As (or Export) to PDF with accessibility tags turned on. Don’t print it to PDF, and don’t print and scan it.

What a screen reader needs from a PDF

  • Real text, not a picture of text. Scanned pages are pictures. See scanned PDFs.
  • Tags, the hidden structure that says what's a heading, a list or a table. Without them a screen reader has to guess the reading order, and people can't jump between headings or follow a table.
  • A title and a language, so the file is announced by name and read with the right pronunciation.
  • Alt text for images, charts and maps that carry information.
  • Labels on form fields, so people know what to type in each box.
  • No security setting that blocks screen readers from reading the text.

In Word (the best place to fix it)

  1. Use the Heading 1, Heading 2 styles on the Home tab for section titles, such as agenda items, instead of bold text.
  2. Use the bullet and numbering buttons for lists, instead of typing dashes or numbers.
  3. For each picture, right-click and choose View Alt Text (Edit Alt Text in some versions), then describe what it shows, or mark it as decorative.
  4. In tables, mark the first row as a header row (Table Design, then Header Row; on Layout, also choose Repeat Header Rows), and avoid merged or empty cells used for spacing.
  5. Go to File > Info and fill in Title under Properties, for example "City Council Agenda, November 4, 2026".
  6. Run Review > Check Accessibility and fix what it lists.
  7. Save it as PDF: File > Save As (or Export) > PDF, open Options, and make sure Document structure tags for accessibility is checked. On a Mac, choose Best for electronic distribution and accessibility.

Avoid printing to PDF (Microsoft Print to PDF on Windows, or Print > Save as PDF on a Mac): it adds no tags, so the PDF fails even when the Word file was perfect.

When all you have is the PDF

You'll need Adobe Acrobat Pro. The free Reader can't make these fixes.

  1. If the pages are scanned, first run Scan & OCR > Recognize text and proofread the result.
  2. Open All tools, then Prepare for accessibility (under View more; called Accessibility in older versions), and choose Automatically tag PDF.
  3. Choose Add alternate text and describe each image that carries information.
  4. Open Document Properties (Ctrl+D, or Cmd+D on a Mac). On Description, fill in Title. On Initial View, set Show to Document Title. On Advanced, choose the Language.
  5. For fillable forms, open Prepare a form, double-click each field, and type a short description in Tooltip on the General tab. Screen readers read the tooltip as the field's name.
  6. Run Check for accessibility and work through what it reports. Automatic tagging is a start, not a finish: check the reading order on anything complex, like tables.

Agenda packets

A packet combines many documents, often from different departments and outside parties. Every part needs to be accessible, so it's much easier to fix each source document before you combine them than to repair a 200-page packet afterward. Ask the departments and consultants who send you attachments to send accessible files.

Check your work

  • Acrobat Pro's Check for accessibility.
  • The AccessClerk free PDF checker: upload a file or paste a link, and get the problems in plain English with these fix steps.
  • PAC, the free PDF Accessibility Checker for Windows.
  • The real test: listen to it with a screen reader, such as the free NVDA on Windows or VoiceOver on a Mac.

An AccessClerk inventory tries to open every PDF it finds on your site (up to 25 MB each), lists which ones fail these basics and why, and names any it couldn't check. Passing these automated checks doesn't mean a file is accessible: reading order, tables and whether alt text is accurate still need a person.

See where your site stands

A free AccessClerk preview checks your first 10 pages in a real browser, lists the documents it finds and checks a sample of your PDFs, in plain English. No sign-up.

Check your site free

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This guide is general information, not legal advice. Talk to your attorney about how the rule applies to you.