PDF/UA
Also known as: ISO 14289, accessible PDF
PDF/UA is the standard for accessible PDFs. A compliant PDF is tagged so screen readers can read it in the right order, with headings, alt text and a logical structure.
In plain terms
A PDF that looks fine can be a black box to a screen reader if it has no tags — the reading order is scrambled and images have no descriptions. Making a PDF accessible means adding a tag tree: headings, reading order, table headers, alt text and a document title.
Why it matters
Regulatory filings, annual reports and forms are often PDFs, and they're frequently the least accessible thing an organisation publishes. PDF/UA (and WCAG) compliance is required in many sectors, including finance.
A retagged annual report where a screen reader announces headings and reads the tables row by row, instead of reciting numbers in random order.
Related terms
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