An accessible PDF can be easily accessed, viewed, read, and understood by anyone, including individuals with disabilities and those reliant on screen readers. Do you wonder how to make a PDF/UA? Here, we will explore PDF/UA, its benefits, and how to open or create a PDF/UA file.
What Is PDF/UA?
In 1993, Adobe invented a crossover between a standard PDF and a universally accessible PDF. While PDFs continued to advance by incorporating innovative and modern features like encryption, electronic signatures, and so on, only a few users know about the less-talked-about Accessibility feature.'This feature was introduced primarily for individuals with disabilities or those using assistive technology.
PDF/UA can be opened and viewed on any supported operating system or software application like a standard PDF. PDFs' ‘accessibility’ helps people with disabilities and conforms to assistive technology.
It includes screen magnifiers, screen readers, speech recognition software, joysticks, alternative input devices, and text-to-speech screen readers. PDFs under the PDF/UA specification must also have valuable features such as image descriptions or alternative text descriptions for images and graphics. These files have proper tagging and also meet other accessibility standards.
Why Use PDF/UA?
At first glance, PDF/UA (or PDF/Universal Access) might appear similar to the traditional PDF format. However, the use cases clearly show the differences between the two. PDF/UA files are universally accessible and help creators build accessible documents.
- Universal Accessibility: PDF/UA is compatible with assistive technology, ensuring disabled individuals can access the document's information easily. For example, these files are compatible with screen readers for visually disabled or partially sighted users. They are also supported by speech recognition software and eye-tracking systems.
- Create Accessible Documents: PDF/UA files include ‘Tags’ that can be interpreted by assistive technologies. These tags help prioritize important information and structure content for a seamless reading experience, benefiting those who rely on assistive programs. It promotes inclusivity and usability.
How to Open a PDF/UA File
Anyone can open a PDF/UA file like a standard PDF document. You only need a qualified PDF viewer or editor to help you open PDF files. Ensure your selected tools have accessible viewing options for people with disabilities. Here’s a list of some reputed PDF/UA readers.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader/Pro
- Online PDF viewers
- Internet browsers
- PDFelement
- Foxit PDF Reader
If you have saved such a file on your computer or in an email, you can open it using the below steps.
- Double-click the PDF/UA file. If Adobe Acrobat is installed, the file will open instantly with the program. Otherwise, download and launch the Adobe Acrobat for free.
- If the PDF files do not automatically open with Adobe Acrobat, right-click your file and click Open With.
- Find and select Adobe Acrobat and press.
How to Create a PDF/UA file
You must have two things to create a PDF/UA file.
- A finalized PDF document
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
With these two things on your device, you can create a PDF/UA smoothly and without hassle. Adobe Acrobat Pro's 'Make Accessible' function can enhance the file's accessibility for all users. It recognizes areas for improvement, including scanned text, documentation, missing titles, etc.
Here’s how you can access this function:
- Open Adobe Acrobat Pro and launch.
- Select the Action Wizard.
- Choose Make Accessible from the Actions List.
- Select all the PDF files for which you want to enhance the accessibility.
- Apply the action to your chosen PDF files.
- You will receive prompts to help you in making the PDF files accessible.