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Free tool

PDF/UA checker

Check whether a PDF is accessible. Test it against PDF/UA-1 and PDF/UA-2 with veraPDF, and get a plain-English list of what to fix.

Free, no account. 10 checks an hour, files up to 20 MB, deleted after the check.

What the checker tells you

Both PDF/UA standards

Every file is checked against PDF/UA-1 (ISO 14289-1) and PDF/UA-2 (ISO 14289-2), side by side.

The reference validator

Checks run on veraPDF, the open-source validator backed by the PDF Association, using its official PDF/UA profiles.

Plain-English fixes

Each failed requirement says what is wrong and how to fix it, with the clause it comes from.

PDF 2.0 and tagging at a glance

See the PDF version, whether the file is tagged, its language and its title before you read the details.

Deleted after the check

Your file is deleted as soon as it has been checked. Nothing is kept, and no account is needed.

Fix it at the source

Generate PDFs that pass with PodPDF: add "pdf_standard" to an HTML, Markdown or template request.

How it works

Choose a PDF

Drop in any PDF up to 20 MB.

We check it

veraPDF tests it against every machine-checkable PDF/UA-1 and PDF/UA-2 rule.

Read the report

Pass or fail for each standard, and what to fix, in plain English.

PDF/UA questions

What is PDF/UA?
PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility) is the ISO standard for accessible PDF files, ISO 14289. A PDF/UA file is tagged so screen readers can follow its headings, lists, tables and reading order, gives images alternative text, and declares its language and title. PDF/UA-1 (ISO 14289-1) is the version most accessibility checklists and procurement rules refer to. PDF/UA-2 (ISO 14289-2, 2024) builds on PDF 2.0.
Is this PDF/UA checker really free?
Yes. There is no account and no watermark. To keep it fair for everyone, each visitor can run 10 checks an hour, on PDFs up to 20 MB.
What happens to my file?
It is uploaded over HTTPS, checked, and deleted as soon as the check finishes. We do not keep the file or the report. If an upload is never checked, it is deleted automatically within a day.
Does it check PDF 2.0?
The report shows the file’s PDF version, and PDF/UA-2 requires PDF 2.0, so a PDF/UA-2 pass means the file is a PDF 2.0 file that meets PDF/UA-2. The checker does not validate every syntax rule of the PDF 2.0 specification itself; it checks accessibility.
Which validator does it use?
veraPDF, the open-source PDF validator developed with the PDF Association, with its PDF/UA-1 and PDF/UA-2 profiles. Other tools such as PAC or Adobe Acrobat’s checker test similar rules in their own ways, so their results can differ slightly.
If my PDF passes, is it fully accessible?
A pass means the file meets every PDF/UA requirement a machine can test. Some requirements need a person: whether alt text actually describes the image, whether the reading order makes sense, and whether colour alone carries meaning. For documents with legal accessibility obligations, also review them with a screen reader.
Can it check password-protected PDFs?
No. Remove the password first, then check the file. PodPDF’s Unlock PDF tool can do that if you know the password.
How do I fix a PDF that fails?
Each failed requirement in the report comes with a fix. Most problems are best fixed in the source document: real headings, alt text on images, header cells in tables and a document language, then an export with your tool’s accessible PDF option. If you generate PDFs from HTML, Markdown or templates, PodPDF can create PDF/UA-1 or PDF/UA-2 files for you and check each one.

Make accessible PDFs from the start

PodPDF turns HTML, Markdown and templates into tagged PDF/UA-1 or PDF/UA-2 files, and checks every one with veraPDF.

Create an account Read the guide