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How to make PDFs accessible

Tables

Any tables in your PDF must be accessible. This is because inaccessible tables can be hard to view or understand for people using:

  • A mobile or tablet - over 60% of our website users use these devices
  • Screen readers - they need tables set out in a certain way to understand them
  • Only a keyboard - some people do not use a mouse and only use a keyboard to navigate

How to check table accessibility

Government Digital Service (GDS) advice on tables says:

'Tables should only be used to present data. Do not use tables for cosmetic changes to layout, for example to present a list because you think it looks better that way'.

Check that any tables in your PDF are only used to present data. If there are any tables that present data, they must have:

  • No split, merged, or empty cells
  • A formatted header row. This should automatically repeat at the top of all pages the table is on.
  • Rows that do not split across pages
  • Accessible colour use - If you use colour in your table to convey meaning (colour-coding), you must also use text to ensure that people who find it difficult to see or differentiate between colours can still understand it. Any colour combinations used must meet colour contrast requirements.

How to make tables accessible

If any tables in your PDF aren't accessible, you must remove or fix them. The easiest way to do this is to edit the source document (eg Word), and then reconvert it to a PDF.

If you need to go back to your original Word document, read our guide on how to create accessible tables in Word. You may find our Word accessibility advice useful even if you used a different application to create your document.

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