PDF decision-making guide

Hands typing at computer with icons of PDF and document files

PDFs have long been used to share information with a consistent appearance and format without requiring programming or specialized tools. However, when PDFs are not created with accessibility in mind, they can introduce barriers for people with disabilities. Poorly structured or inaccessible PDFs may not be interpreted as intended by assistive technologies, which can negatively impact usability.

What’s the issue with PDFs?

The content in PDFs should be properly tagged during the initial design phase. This ensures that screen readers and other assistive technologies can accurately interpret the information for users with disabilities. Unfortunately, this isn’t always a simple process.

Additionally, PDFs are difficult to navigate on mobile devices and require consistent updating to remain relevant and accurate.

Before publishing a PDF, ask yourself: Does this really need to be a PDF? The majority of times, the answer is no. When possible, we encourage the use of accessible web pages and document formats, such as Microsoft Word, rather than PDFs. Compared to other digital formats, PDFs are more difficult and labor-intensive to make fully accessible and to maintain as content changes.

Questions to ask before using a PDF

Ask yourself these questions to help you choose the best method for sharing and maintaining accessible documents. This decision tree is a guide to help you provide accessible documents; these recommendations included here are options to consider and are not requirements.

If you have an inaccessible PDF and are not sure what to do next, use the questions and guidance below. If your PDF is used in an academic or classroom setting, refer to this PDF decision tree from Mizzou Online.

Question 1: Is the PDF still currently in use?

  • No: If it’s no longer needed, remove the PDF or place it in a clearly designated “Archived” folder. Note: Retrieving a PDF from the archive folder for use beyond April 24, 2026, will require it to be made accessible.

Question 2: Does the PDF document need to be updated regularly?

  • Yes: Post the content to an accessible web page or as an accessible Microsoft 365 document type (Word, PowerPoint, etc.) instead of using a PDF. See these resources for creating accessible Word documents, PowerPoints and other M365 products.

    Updating a PDF that has already been remediated can introduce new formatting and accessibility issues, so you’ll need to recheck and fix any issues each time it is updated.

Question 3: Was the original file created using Microsoft Office?

  • Yes: Post the content to an accessible web page rather than a PDF or an accessible M365 document type (Word, PowerPoint, etc.). Updating a PDF that has already been remediated can introduce new formatting and accessibility issues, so you’ll need to recheck and fix any issues each time it is updated. Use the “Check Accessibility” function included in the Microsoft Office software, such as Word, PowerPoint or Excel.

Question 3a: Can the file be shared as a link instead of a PDF?

  • Yes: Share the link to the online document instead of using a PDF. If you’re concerned about the document being edited by another person, upload it to SharePoint or OneDrive using a view-only link that cannot be edited or downloaded. See these instructions for using “view only” sharing permissions in Sharepoint.

Question 4: Is this a text-based document that can live on a website?

  • Yes: Transfer the content over to a new webpage (or a Canvas page). This can be easier for updating and sharing content with a stable link.

Question 5: Is this a scanned document?

  • Yes: Consider exporting it to Microsoft Word (via Adobe Acrobat) as a .docx file. If the file content doesn’t transfer over well, or you have competing concerns (copyright, low-cost availability of materials to students, single-source historical artifacts, etc.) please consult with the IT Accessibility Center by submitting this form. Note: Under U.S. copyright law, modifying a document solely to provide an accessible format — without changing the original content — is generally permitted (see 17 U.S.C. § 121 or this resource.)

Question 6: Is this PDF a form or does it contain fillable form fields?

Question 6a: Did you or someone internally within the university create this form?

  • No: If this is an external PDF that is owned by the federal/state government (i.e. HR employment files, tax files, legal documents) — keep the PDF as is. You may need to provide an accommodation if these required forms are not accessible to an individual.

Question 7: Is this PDF being used as an infographic or flyer?

Question 7a: Is the PDF being shared in an email or comms message?

  • Yes: If distributing a PDF as an attachment, make sure to also include the text and important information inside the body of the email. For social media posts, attached files/images should have alt text.

Question 7b: Was the PDF created in Adobe InDesign, Adobe Express or Canva?

  • Yes:
    Adobe InDesign’s accessibility features can help make it easier to remediate a finished PDF in Acrobat.

    Adobe Express currently does not include built-in accessibility features, though add-ons such as Accessibility Checker, Color Blindness Simulator and Contrast Checker can be used to help reduce the number of accessibility issues when remediating with Adobe Acrobat Pro.

    Canva offers accessibility features, such as tagging and reading order, but these may not be WCAG-compliant and will require manual remediation using Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Question 8: Does the PDF need to be printed?

  • Yes: If providing a PDF for printing purposes, make sure all of the information is also available in an alternative accessible format (webpage, Word Document, email, etc.).

Question 9: Is the PDF a communication to a specific person?

  • Yes: If the PDF is a communication to a specific person, it would fall under an exception and would not need to be remediated. An accessible version of a letter to a person saved as a PDF, for example, would only need to be made accessible if requested as an accommodation. In these cases, the PDF could often be provided as an accessible Word document instead.

Question 10: Is the document hosted on a state or federal website?

  • Yes: Federal and state governments will also be making their documents accessible, so link to the document hosted by the relevant state or federal agency. If you have concerns about a particular state or federal document and its accessibility, reach out to your ADA coordinator, who can consult with the Office of General Counsel, as needed. Note: Periodically check the link to ensure it still functions and is not broken.

Please note that this decision tree does not cover all possible scenarios for PDFs. If you have questions about a specific PDF or document that is not addressed in this resource, please contact the IT Accessibility Center by completing this form.

In general, PDFs may be a good option when you need to share a document that should maintain its exact formatting across different devices, especially when printing is required, such as official documents, forms, complex reports, brochures or any document where preserving the original layout and design is crucial; essentially, when you want to ensure the document looks the same regardless of the viewer’s system or software. 

Situations where PDFs may preferred:

  • Preserving formatting: When you need to ensure a document looks exactly the same when printed or viewed on different devices, like a resume, flyer or legal document. 
  • Printable documents: For documents designed to be printed out with a specific layout, like forms, applications, or multi-page reports. 
  • Sharing complex documents: When distributing lengthy and detailed documents where maintaining the structure is essential, like research papers, manuals or technical specifications. 
  • Archiving documents: For storing important documents in a format that is unlikely to become obsolete or corrupted over time. 
  • Security features: When you need to add password protection or restrict editing capabilities to a document. However, consider alternatives such as non-editable Word documents in Sharepoint, when possible. See these instructions for using “view only” sharing permissions in Sharepoint.

Resources adapted from the University of Washington and the University of Michigan.