Stop letting complex tables make your PDFs fail accessibility audits!
If you’ve spent hours and hours on a PDF table and still don't know if a screen reader can actually use it, this step-by-step PDF accessibility guide is for you!
Municipalities and government state agencies preparing for the April 24, 2026, ADA Title II deadline know the problem. Making PDFs accessible using Adobe Pro can feel like a grueling, confusing, and endless task.
Did you know right underneath complex data tables in Adobe Pro is where confidence goes to die?
This 7-step guide will takeaway the confusion and perhaps even give you your confidence back! (No guarantees on grey hairs)
By the way, this is the exact, repeatable workflow we use in Phase II of “PDF Accessibility Simplified” to master table tagging in Adobe Acrobat Pro—Get access to the entire guide for free, linked below.
The 7 Essential Steps for Creating Accessible Tables in Adobe Pro
Open the PDF and the Tags pane.
Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro and show the Accessibility Tags pane.
Then inspect the document structure and locate the table node.
Make Every Cell Visible in the Tag Tree
Expand the table element and each table row (TR) so every cell is visible in the tag tree.
This is where you’ll verify and edit tags.
Make header cells and data cells.
In the Tags pane, change the role of any incorrect cell tags.
Right-click on a tag and select Properties.
Header cells must be <TH>; data cells must be <TD>.
This is required for assistive technology to link the headers to the appropriate data within the table.
Use the “Table Editor” to confirm the reading order.
Open the Order pane, choose “Show Reading Order,” select the table, then click “Table Editor.”
From the Table Editor you can set each cell’s type and ensure the reading sequence is correct.
This ensures screen readers can navigate rows and columns within complex data tables as intended.
Set Scope, ColSpan, and RowSpan for complex headers.
For header cells, choose the correct Scope (Row, Column, or both).
For merged headers, set ColSpan and RowSpan so the tag structure mirrors the visual layout
(This maintains your table’s header associations when content is read by assistive technology)
Verify Tags Manually Using the Tag Tree
You can’t rely solely on auto-tagging. That’s a rookie mistake.
Using Autotag is good for a quick first pass, but manual verification is required to ensure ADA Title II compliance and conformance with WCAG 2.1 AA.
After you’re done editing, re-check the Tags panel so the table shows if your rows and cells are labeled correctly.
Verify PDF table accessibility with screen readers (NVDA, VoiceOver, or JAWS)
This is your final test to ensure accessibility of your tables in PDFs!
Navigate the table with your screen reader and confirm:
- Every cell is navigable and readable
- each cell’s contents are read first followed by its respective header and row association.
Not sure how to use a screen reader? It’s easier than you think, and we’ve got you covered!
Keyboard Commands for Navigating Tables in Adobe Pro Using NVDA and JAWS on Windows:
| Action | JAWS Command | NVDA Command |
|---|---|---|
| Go to Next Table | t (Browse Mode) | t (Browse Mode) |
| Go to Previous Table | Shift + t (Browse Mode) | Shift + t (Browse Mode) |
| Move to Next Cell (Right) | Control + Alt + Right Arrow | Control + Alt + Right Arrow |
| Move to Previous Cell (Left) | Control + Alt + Left Arrow | Control + Alt + Left Arrow |
| Move to Cell Below (Down) | Control + Alt + Down Arrow | Control + Alt + Down Arrow |
| Move to Cell Above (Up) | Control + Alt + Up Arrow | Control + Alt + Up Arrow |
| Re-read Current Cell (with headers) | JAWS Key + Up Arrow | NVDA Key + Up Arrow |
*Note: For these commands to work effectively in a PDF in Adobe Acrobat, the document must have a correct tag structure with <Table>, <TR>, <TH>, and <TD> tags.
Keyboard Commands for Navigating Tables in Adobe Pro Using VoiceOver on a Mac:
| Task | VoiceOver Command |
|---|---|
| Go to Next Table | VO + Command + T (Control + Option + Command + T) |
| Read Column Header | VO + C (Control + Option + C) |
| Read Row Header | VO + R (Control + Option + R) |
| Interact with an Object (Enter the table) | VO + Shift + Down Arrow (Control + Option + Shift + Down Arrow) |
| Stop Interacting (Exit the table) | VO + Shift + Up Arrow (Control + Option + Shift + Up Arrow) |
*Note: For these commands to work effectively in a PDF in Adobe Acrobat, the document must have a correct tag structure with <Table>, <TR>, <TH>, and <TD> tags.
Accessibility Pro Tips
| Pro Tip | Key Advice |
|---|---|
| AccessAbility Pro Tip #1 (Prioritize Scope) | Prefer scope="col" or scope="row" on header cells when appropriate. It is the most straightforward and reliable way to declare header relationships for many screen readers, ensuring your table is truly ADA compliant. |
| AccessAbility Pro Tip #2 (ColSpan/RowSpan Reliability) | For multi-row or multi-column header groups, explicitly set ColSpan and RowSpan in Table Cell Properties. Never rely on visual layout alone; the visual look can break and cause an accessibility failure when PDF files are exported or reflowed. |
How AccessAbility Officer Helps
AccessAbility Officer helps municipalities and state government agencies achieve Title II compliance under the ADA with our comprehensive approach to Accessibility Management.
For help with PDF accessibility, web accessibility, or upskilling your team with functional, hands-on trainings, let’s talk!
Learn about Accessibility Management here or send us an email at Sales@AccessAbilityOfficer.com
AccessAbility Officer
Ability Is Our Middle Name