PDF documents are not tagged on Squarespace

What this is

3 PDF documents have no tag structure. Screen readers cannot tell headings, lists and tables from plain text, so the document is read as one long block or in the wrong order.

Who it affects

• Screen reader users
• Keyboard users
• People with cognitive disabilities

Standards

• WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A)
• WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (A)

How to fix it

1. Open the source file (Word, Google Docs, InDesign) and use real headings, lists and table headers instead of formatting by hand.
2. Export with the accessibility option switched on: "Tagged PDF" / "Create accessible PDF" / "Document structure tags for accessibility".
3. Open the exported PDF in Acrobat's accessibility check (or the free PAC tool) to confirm the tags and reading order, then replace the file on your site.

On Squarespace

Fix the PDF in the program it was made with (Word, Google Docs, InDesign): turn on the accessibility options when exporting ("Tagged PDF" / "Create accessible PDF"), set the document title and language in the file properties, then export again. Upload the new file in a File block or the Files section and update the links to it.

Other platforms

• General advice
• WordPress
• Elementor
• Shopify
• Webflow
• Framer
• Wix
• Next.js
• Lovable

Prompt for an AI coding tool

Scan your site with AccessibilityBrief and you get a ready-to-use prompt for this problem, with the exact elements on your pages filled in.

More fixes

• Images missing alternative text
• Image buttons missing alternative text
• SVG images missing a text alternative
• Elements with role="img" missing a text alternative
• Links without a name
• Buttons without a name