On the WSU website, PDFs are the standard file type for supporting files and these files need to meet accessibility requirements just like webpages.


However, most of the time people create a document and then convert it into a PDF format. So, the best way to make an accessible PDF is to start with an accessible document.


The main components of an accessible document are document structure and visual design. 


Document structure refers to things like headings, tags and content organization. Visual design refers to things like color contrasts, typography and images. Learn more about addressing accessibility in your graphic designs. 



How to Make Office Documents Accessible


Microsoft Office software comes with a variety of accessibility tools built in which can help you quickly create accessible files. 

However, you should still double-check key elements of the file to make sure the automated features are accurate. 


Microsoft Word


Microsoft PowerPoint


Microsoft Excel


Office Accessibility Tutorial for Excel Files


Exporting to PDFs


Office Accessibility Tutorial for PDFs




How to Make an Adobe InDesign File Accessible 


Some Adobe Creative Suite software offers built-in accessibility tools, specifically InDesign. 





How to Make Old PDFs Accessible


If you don't have the original file, there are ways to add accessible elements to an existing PDF. You can also use these techniques to make a scanned document more accessible. You will need Adobe Acrobat Pro to edit the PDF.