Automated Accessibility Checkers vs. Manual PDF Remediation: What’s the Difference?
If you’ve ever used tools like PAC 2024, Adobe Acrobat Pro, or axe Accessibility Checker, you know they’re a helpful first step toward checking PDF accessibility. But here’s the truth: automated checkers can only take you so far.
In this article, we explain the key differences between automated testing and professional manual remediation — and why both are important if you want to meet accessibility standards like Section 508, AODA, PDF/UA, and WCAG 2.1.
What Are Automated Accessibility Checkers?
Automated tools scan a PDF and look for technical issues like:
- Missing tags
- Incorrect reading order
- Missing alt text on images
- Untagged annotations or figures
- Invalid document structure
Some popular free and paid checkers include:
- PAC 2024
- Adobe Acrobat Pro Accessibility Checker
- CommonLook Validator
- axesPDF
These tools generate reports, assign pass/fail scores, and help you get an overview of your file’s status.
What They’re Good At
Automated checkers are ideal for:
- Quickly identifying low-level technical issues
- Verifying if tags exist
- Catching structural errors in complex documents
- Providing starting points for remediation
They’re especially helpful in internal workflows or for large batches of documents.
What Automated Tools Can’t Do
Despite their usefulness, automated tools cannot determine whether a document is truly usable or understandable by people with disabilities. They can’t:
- Judge if headings are used meaningfully
- Evaluate whether alt text is accurate or descriptive
- Detect if a table is semantically correct
- Check for clear link labels (e.g., “Click here” is not accessible)
- Fix logical reading order in visually designed layouts
- Ensure forms have correct tab order or labels
That’s where manual remediation comes in.
What Is Manual PDF Remediation?
Manual remediation involves a professional reviewing the document in detail and correcting or enhancing it by:
- Reorganizing the reading order
- Tagging complex tables or nested lists
- Writing meaningful alt text
- Defining proper heading hierarchy
- Adding form field labels and instructions
- Validating final output with screen readers
Manual remediation ensures the file meets not just technical specs, but real usability and legal compliance.
Why Both Are Important
Think of automated checkers as a spell checker — helpful, but not a substitute for a skilled editor. Manual remediation is like a copyeditor who reviews tone, clarity, and intent. For accessibility, you need both.
Need Help with Remediation?
At AccessiblePDF.ar, we combine automated tools with expert human review to deliver fully compliant PDFs that pass Section 508, AODA, WCAG, and PDF/UA standards.
Whether you’re working on translated content, public-facing documents, or internal reports, we ensure your PDFs are usable by everyone — and legally safe.
📩 Contact us today for a free document assessment or accessibility consultation at accessiblepdf@wlasrl.com