Accessible documents

• Color and contrast
  • Color and contrast are essential criteria for an accessible document. According to the minimum requirement, WCAG Level AA, the contrast ratio should be 4.5:1 or 3:1 for large text (18 pt or 14 pt bold).
• Font
  • A sans serif font is preferred because it is easier to read (e.g., Arial, Calibri, or Tahoma).
  • Use bold type for emphasis.
  • Style sheets make creation easier.
• Paragraph
  • Use a table of contents based on the style sheet (provides an overview).
  • Use simple bullet points instead of asterisks or other symbols.
  • Use left-aligned continuous text instead of justified text (larger spaces between words can cause problems for various support programs).
  • Set spacing and tabs using style sheets and avoid using spaces as spacers or multiple consecutive spaces.
  • Insert text marks and cross-references using the designated Word functions
• Images and tables
  • Add descriptions for tables or graphics in the body text as well
  • Use alternative text for images and graphics
• Meta information
  • Create a title for the document (for more information, see “Help for creating accessible documents”)
  • Check that the language setting for the document is correct

• Color and contrast
  • Content must contrast sufficiently with the background to be easily recognizable.
  • Avoid colorful backgrounds.
  • Information should not be communicated through color alone.
• Font size
  • A sans serif font is preferred as it is easier to read (e.g., Arial, Calibri, or Tahoma).
  • Use bold type for emphasis.
  • Style sheets may be used.
• Layout and transitions
  • Use slide masters for a consistent layout.
  • Choose simple transitions.
  • Avoid animations
• Paragraphs
  • Use simple bullet points instead of asterisks or other symbols.
  • Set spacing and tabs using style sheets and avoid using spaces as spacers or multiple consecutive spaces
• Images and tables
  • Always include a verbal description of tables or graphics in the presentation
  • Use alternative text for images and graphics
  • Avoid merged cells (only use simple tables with rows and columns)

Menu item Acrobat - Basic settings - Settings

• Convert document info
• Create PDF with full functionality
• Enable input/output assistance and reflow by creating Adobe PDF with tags

Menu item Acrobat - Basic settings - Security

• Textzugriff für Screenreader/Bildschirmlesehilfen (für Sehbehinderte) aktivieren

Acrobat menu item - Basic settings - Word

• Convert cross-references and tables of contents into links
• Convert footnote and endnote links
• Convert advanced tag settings

Menu item Acrobat - Basic settings - Bookmarks

• Convert Word headings to bookmarks

Prepare PDF document

• Insert document description
• Create bookmarks and tags
• Alternative text for tables and graphics
• Check the reading direction of the PDF document

Metadata in accessible documents

Voice output only makes sense if the language is recognized correctly. Metadata provides assistive technologies with the information they need to interpret and output document content correctly.

Metadata is also helpful for all users. Information such as title or author makes it easier to navigate and find documents, especially in large file repositories or cloud systems.

Required metadata

The following information is particularly relevant for accessible documents:

• Title – correct display when opening the document
• Language – for correct pronunciation by screen readers
• Author – the actual author of the publication
   

Title

When working with multiple open documents, clear identification is necessary. This is particularly important for people with visual impairments.

If the title is displayed in the document window instead of a file name, content can be assigned more quickly and clearly.

Example:

• File name: 2026-01-08_metDATA_Explanation.pdf
• Title: What is metadata?

In order for the title to be displayed, it must be stored in the document information, for example when the document is created in Word.

Language

Incorrect language settings result in incomprehensible speech output. Therefore, the main language of the document must be defined correctly.
Language changes within the text, for example for foreign language terms, are also necessary for correct pronunciation.

Additional metadata is optional. However, it supports archiving, organization, and targeted document searches.

Marking tags and artifacts

A logical document structure is a prerequisite for machine-readable and therefore accessible documents. PDFs with such a structure are referred to as tagged PDFs. Headings, paragraphs, and other elements are marked so that they can be interpreted correctly by assistive technologies.

The basis for this is the clear assignment of tags and artifacts.

Tags

Tags mark content-relevant elements and provide assistive technologies with additional information about the structure of the document. Important tags include:

• Heading
• Paragraph
• List
• Table
• Figure
• Caption

In Word, these tags can be set automatically through the consistent use of style sheets.

Artifacts

Artifacts are objects that are not relevant to the content and do not belong in the logical reading order. These include, for example, headers and footers or purely decorative images.

Principles of accessible documents

The following points in particular must be observed for accessible documents:

• Structuring using correct format templates
• Recording of key metadata such as title and language
• Meaningful hyperlink labels
• Alternative text for graphic and audiovisual content
• Clear tables with row and/or column headings

Designing accessible tables

Tables are used to present data in a clear manner. Certain design rules must be followed to ensure that assistive technologies can correctly capture and reproduce table content.

This page summarizes the most important requirements.

Describing tables

Without appropriate meta information, tables cannot be reliably interpreted by assistive technologies. Tables should therefore always contain the following information:

• Column and/or row headings
• A meaningful table label
• Alternative text

This information enables users to understand the content and purpose of the table before reading the actual data.

Structuring tables

Correctly labeled column and row headings are key components of an accessible table. Assistive technologies read tables cell by cell and assign the corresponding headings to each cell. This is the only way to preserve the contextual relationship between the data.

Designing links

Links refer to further sources of information. The link label must clearly indicate the destination or purpose of the link.

The basic requirements for accessible links are summarized below.

Accessible links

A link is considered accessible if it can be understood outside of the surrounding text and clearly describes the link destination or purpose.

Design rules for links

When designing links, the following points must be observed:

• Avoid meaningless link texts such as “click here,” “more,” “here,” or “continue,” as well as pure URL information.
• Links must be visually recognizable as such. They must not be distinguished solely by color. Additional highlighting, e.g., by underlining, is recommended.
• Links must be technically correct so that screen readers can recognize them. In Word, a link is usually activated automatically by entering a space after the URL.
• Several consecutive links should be clearly separated from each other and preferably displayed as a list.
• Related links should also be grouped in lists for better orientation.