What is a PDF/UA?
PDF/UA, short for Portable Document Format/Universal Accessibility, is a standard that introduces important changes to traditional PDF files to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities. While it may seem similar at first glance, PDF/UA follows specific guidelines to make files universally accessible, allowing all users, including those with disabilities, to get equal value from the content.
What is PDF/UA used for?
PDF/UA serves the same purpose as standard PDF files but with a crucial difference: it ensures accessibility for all users. By following PDF/UA guidelines, documents become accessible to people with disabilities, thanks to the inclusion of tags that assistive technologies can interpret.
These tags help prioritize important information and structure the content, ensuring a smooth reading experience for people who use assistive programs. With PDF/UA, everyone can access and understand the contents of the file, improving inclusivity and usability.
How to open a PDF/UA file?
To open a PDF/UA file, you can use any PDF viewer or editor that supports the PDF format. These viewers and editors should provide accessible viewing options for users with disabilities.
Here is a small, non-exhaustive list of PDF/UA readers:
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Internet browsers
- Online PDF viewers
- Foxit Reader
- PDFelement, etc.
How to create a PDF/UA file?
To create a PDF/UA file, you will need Adobe Acrobat Pro and a finalized PDF document. The "Make Accessible" function in Acrobat Pro helps improve accessibility for all users. It identifies areas for improvement, such as scanned text, missing titles, or documentation.
To access this function:
- Open Acrobat Pro and go to "Tools."
- Select "Action Wizard."
- In the Actions List, choose "Make Accessible."
- Select the files you want to make more accessible.
- Apply the action to your selected files and follow the prompts that guide you through making the files accessible.
Learn more about file types similar to PDF/UA
- PDF Subsets - 5 subsets of the PDF ISO standard
- PDF/A - the ISO standard for long-term archiving
