PDF accessibility shouldn’t feel this hard but here we are. Adobe doesn’t make it easy, and with the DOJ’s new regulations landing soon, the pressure is real.
We’ve already broken down how table structure plays a huge role in accessibility failures (see: How to Create Accessible Tables with Form Fields in Adobe Acrobat Pro). But tables are just one piece of the puzzle. Now, we’re seeing the same issues over and over again: tables, forms, and the nightmare combo: forms inside tables. The stuff that makes people want to throw their laptops.
Here’s how to make your interactive PDF forms accessible (without rage-quitting Acrobat Pro).
Why Interactive Forms Often Fail Accessibility (A Lot)
PDF forms combine three layers: data structure, form fields, and tags. Most people assume that adding fillable fields makes the form accessible. Unfortunately, without proper tagging, screen readers get completely lost unable to associate labels with fields. The result? Forms that are technically fillable, but functionally useless for people using assistive technology.
DARTSuite Audit Insight: In our government and higher-ed audits, untagged or mis-tagged PDF forms consistently rank among the top ADA Title II and Section 508 failures — even for agencies that previously believed their PDFs were accessible.
Need help remediating existing PDF forms? Our DARTSuite PDF Audit & Remediation Services can assess, tag, and repair your agency’s PDF library for full WCAG 2.1 compliance — without overwhelming your internal teams.
Contact us here to schedule a consultation.
Why does this matter? Because after April 2026, public-facing PDFs that fail WCAG 2.1 standards will no longer be allowed on government websites. Even internal documents used by employees must be accessible.
Step-by-Step: How to Create Accessible Forms with Adobe Acrobat Pro
1. Open Adobe Acrobat Pro and load the PDF you want to convert into a fillable form.
Accessibility Tip: Start with a clean, well-structured base document. Forms created directly from accessible Word files are easier to remediate later.
2. Click "All tools" or "Edit" to access the "Prepare a form" tool.
3. Click the "Prepare a form" tool to initiate automatic form field detection.
Acrobat will attempt to auto-detect form fields. If it misses any, you'll need to manually place fields.
4. In the Prepare a form view, select your file source, then click "Create Form."
5. If no fields are detected, manually place form fields by selecting field types from the toolbar and positioning them as needed.
Compliance Note: Always manually verify placement for tab order and reading sequence, two of the most common audit failure points for PDF forms.
6. Under "Add Form Components," select Text Field to insert text input fields.
Accessibility Tip: Each text field should have a unique field name and a meaningful tooltip to assist screen readers.
7. Select the Checkbox Field to insert checkboxes for yes/no or multiple-choice options.
8. Select Radio Button Field for single-choice group questions.
Common Mistake: Radio buttons must always be properly grouped for screen readers to announce them as mutually exclusive choices.
9. Right-click any form field and select Properties to customize settings.
You can edit:
Field Name
Tooltip (critical for screen readers)
Appearance and behavior
10. In the Properties modal, update the Tooltip with a concise description.
Tooltips allow assistive technologies to correctly describe each field's function.
11. In the Accessibility Tags pane, verify that form fields are correctly tagged.
If fields are missing from the tag tree, manually drag fields into the correct structural tag position (e.g., under or after tags).
Screen Reader Impact: Improper form tags can cause entire sections of a form to be skipped entirely for blind users navigating via keyboard or screen reader.
12. Once fields are correctly tagged and positioned, your form is structurally accessible to assistive technologies.
Final Check: Always run Acrobat’s Accessibility Checker after tagging adjustments to validate WCAG compliance.
Next Steps for Scaling Form Accessibility
For agencies managing hundreds or thousands of PDFs across websites, public portals, and internal systems, our accessibility team can help you:
Audit and remediate existing PDF form libraries implement multi-system compliance across CMS platforms, procurement documents, and online services. Apply AI-enhanced tagging to improve both human and machine-readable accessibility
See how we help agencies manage accessibility at scale: https://accessabilityofficer.com/
Related Resource: Start with PDF Form Accessibility First
Many form issues start at the table structure level. If you’re also dealing with tables inside your forms, start here:
Feel free to share this guide with your accessibility, IT, content, and procurement teams as part of your agency’s accessibility training library.