How Do I Export an Accessible PDF from Word?

Prepare the Word document before producing the PDF. Use built-in headings and lists, meaningful links, simple tables with header information and appropriate figure descriptions. Review generated alternatives and mathematical content against the source.

Check the source

Run the accessibility checker available in your Word version and investigate relevant findings. Manually review the logical hierarchy, reading sequence and teaching meaning. An authoring checker cannot establish every condition in the final export.

Use the supported PDF route

Consult Microsoft's Word PDF accessibility documentation and its linked export instructions for the actual platform and release. On Windows, relevant settings can include structure tags and bookmarks from headings. On Mac, select the supported accessibility-oriented export option where available; do not assume every Save As route creates identical tags.

Some accessibility-oriented conversion options use an online Microsoft service. Confirm authorization and data handling before exporting sensitive institutional material through that route.

Printing to PDF can omit semantic information even when text remains selectable; it does not necessarily render every page as an image. Prefer the documented accessible export and evaluate its output.

Verify the result

Inspect text, tags, headings, lists, figure alternatives, table relationships, reading order and bookmarks. Include content near page breaks and complex equations. Retain the editable source so corrections can be made there and exported again.

Keep the original and inspect the actual saved output. Combine relevant automated checks with manual review of meaning, reading order, navigation and content preservation. Test important student tasks with the intended reader and assistive technologies. A clean checker report alone does not establish conformance.

Aelira Core is beta software. Supported workflows can apply eligible partial fixes and record outcomes, but some inputs need manual work or cannot produce a downloadable remediated file. Review the actual saved output, unresolved findings and content preservation before publication. Automated scores describe implemented checks rather than accessibility conformance. Inspect the public source and release documentation and evaluate a representative authorized sample before planning a rollout.