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PDF Tools · Checker

Free online PDF accessibility checker

Test any PDF for accessibility in seconds: upload a document and get a clear 0-100 score across 8 categories - with AI-suggested alt text for every image, ready to apply.

  • 8 categories
  • 0-100 score
  • AI alt text
app.equalweb.com/pdf/checker
93/ 100
Accessibility score
annual-report.pdf
Compliant - WCAG 2.2 / PDF/UA
Document100
Page98
Forms92
Alt text95
Tables90
Lists100
Headings96
AI image descriptions

AI-generated alt text for every image

Missing alt text is the most common PDF failure. The Checker reads every image and suggests accurate, descriptive alternative text - you review and apply it in a click, instead of writing it from scratch.

Apply fixes automatically with AI Auto-Remediation ->

Suggested alt textBar chart showing 2025 revenue up 24% year over year, with Q4 the strongest quarter.
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8 categories, one score

From AI tagging to expert review - everything PDFs need

The Checker inspects the structures screen readers and assistive tech rely on - and tells you exactly where each one stands. All 82 PDF/UA rules it tests are documented in the Accessibility Wiki.

Document & page structureLanguage, title, tags and a logical, tagged reading order.
Headings & listsProper heading hierarchy and correctly marked-up lists.
Image alt textEvery image carries meaningful alternative text - AI-suggested.
Table headersHeader rows and cells associated so tables read correctly.
Form fieldsLabels and tooltips so every field is announced and fillable.
Scored & shareable reportA 0-100 score and a report you can share with your team.
Four steps

How to check PDF accessibility

Checking PDF accessibility takes minutes, not meetings.

  1. Upload your PDF. Drag the file into the online checker - documents up to 400 pages and 100MB, or batch-check up to 1,000 files at once.
  2. Read the score. You get an instant 0-100 accessibility score, each of the 8 categories broken down, and every rule marked Passed, Needs Review or Failed.
  3. Fix what failed. Apply AI Auto-Remediation for tags, reading order and alt text - or route complex documents to certified experts.
  4. Re-check and keep the report. Run the test again to confirm the fixes, and keep the before/after reports as your compliance evidence.
United States

Is your PDF ADA compliant?

PDF compliance is part of accessibility law, not an afterthought. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the documents you publish - statements, forms, reports, menus - need to be usable by people with disabilities, and courts and the Department of Justice treat WCAG as the benchmark. The DOJ's ADA Title II rule makes it explicit for state and local governments: web content and documents must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA by April 26, 2027 (April 26, 2028 for entities under 50,000 population), with narrow exceptions for archived material.

That makes a PDF ADA compliance checker the practical first step: run the document, see exactly which WCAG and PDF/UA requirements fail, fix them, re-check. EqualWeb maps every check to the standards behind the ADA, so the same report doubles as your compliance record. Learn more in our ADA compliance guide and our deep-dive on PDF accessibility in WCAG.

Standards

Section 508, PDF/UA and the European standards

Working with the US federal government - or funded by it? Section 508 requires accessible electronic documents, and the Revised 508 Standards define that by reference to WCAG: a 508 compliance checker for PDFs is a WCAG checker at heart. In Europe, EN 301 549 and the European Accessibility Act (in force since June 28, 2025) carry the same requirement for documents delivered as part of products and services.

EqualWeb tests against both generations of the dedicated PDF standard - PDF/UA-1 (ISO 14289-1) and PDF/UA-2 (ISO 14289-2:2024) - alongside WCAG 2.2, with a binary pass/fail verdict per rule. One check covers your ADA, Section 508, EN 301 549 and EAA expectations, and the full PDF Tools suite takes the document from audit to accessible.

FAQ

PDF Accessibility Checker - frequently asked questions

How do I check if a PDF is accessible?
Upload the document to EqualWeb's PDF Accessibility Checker. It audits the file with 80+ automated checks across 8 categories - Document, Page Content, Forms, Alternate Text, Tables, Lists and Headings - and returns a 0-100 accessibility score. Each rule is marked Passed, Needs Review or Failed, so you can see exactly where the document stands before deciding whether to fix it with AI or experts.
What does EqualWeb's PDF Accessibility Checker actually check?
EqualWeb's PDF Accessibility Checker inspects the structures screen readers rely on: document language, title and tags, a logical tagged reading order, heading hierarchy, correctly marked-up lists, alternative text on every image, table header associations, and labeled form fields. It also flags items like color contrast for review, then rolls everything into a single 0-100 score you can share with your team.
What do Passed, Needs Review and Failed mean in the PDF Checker report?
Passed means the rule is satisfied. Needs Review means EqualWeb's AI could not fully verify the rule - items like logical reading order and color contrast - so a manual check is recommended. Failed means the rule is violated and the document needs fixing. The report totals each status per category, so you know how many issues were resolved and how many still need attention.
Does the PDF Checker write alt text for images?
Yes. EqualWeb's PDF Accessibility Checker reads every image in the document and generates a suggested alternative text description for each one. The report lists each image with its page number and the AI-written description, and you can review, edit and apply the suggestions instead of writing alt text from scratch. Missing alt text is the most common PDF accessibility failure.
Does the PDF Accessibility Checker fix the issues it finds?
No. The Checker is an audit-only tool: it reports issues and scores the document without changing the file. To apply fixes, pair it with EqualWeb's AI Auto-Remediation, which tags headings, tables, alt text and reading order automatically, or with Expert Manual Remediation for complex documents. A Checker report also ships with every remediation, so you get a before and after comparison.
Is EqualWeb's PDF accessibility checker free?
Yes - checking is free. Upload a PDF and get the full report: a 0-100 score, 80+ automated checks across 8 categories, and AI-suggested alt text for every image. Remediation is where plans come in: AI Auto-Remediation and Expert Manual Remediation are paid services, and every remediation ships with a fresh Checker report as proof of the result.
Can I check PDF accessibility online, without installing software?
Yes. The Checker is a fully online PDF accessibility test: you upload the document in your browser and the audit runs in the EqualWeb platform - no software to install. It handles documents up to 400 pages and 100MB, and batch checking supports up to 1,000 files at a time.
How do I make a PDF ADA compliant?
An ADA compliant PDF is one a screen reader user can actually read and navigate: a tagged structure with a logical reading order, a proper heading hierarchy, alternative text on images, labeled form fields, correctly marked-up tables and lists, and a document title and language. Run the PDF through the Checker to see which of these fail, fix them with AI Auto-Remediation or EqualWeb's certified experts, then re-check to document conformance with the WCAG and PDF/UA standards the ADA is measured against.
What is a 508 compliant PDF?
Section 508 requires US federal agencies - and organizations working with them - to make electronic documents accessible, and the Revised 508 Standards define that by reference to WCAG. In practice, a 508 compliant PDF is a tagged, navigable document that satisfies the applicable WCAG success criteria and follows PDF/UA. EqualWeb's PDF Accessibility Checker maps its 80+ checks to these requirements, so one report tells you where the document stands for Section 508, the ADA and the European Accessibility Act.
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