The Accessibility Guy

Youtube Linkedin-in Instagram Facebook Globe

Shopping Cart

No products in the cart.

Shopping Cart

No products in the cart.

Close search
Book A Meeting

How do I convert Word documents to PDF?

shawnjordison0000
Shawn October 24, 2022
12 Comments

I can’t keep count of the number of times I have been asked to convert Word documents to PDF, so here is a whole post dedicated to the topic!

Check out my newer post on how to convert a Word template to an accessible PDF. (Some of the info below may be outdated as of 2026.)

Video Guide

Get accessible now - schedule a free 15 minute call with The Accessibility Guy

Before we begin – are you getting weird alt text on your document? You might have a bug you need to patch.

If you properly format your Word document,  you can export an almost perfect PDF file that will be close to passing accessibility requirements. By making a Word document accessible, you cut the time to remediate a PDF by more than 90%. Need some guidance on how to make Word documents accessible?

Convert Word Documents to PDF: Step-by-Step

Step 1

Ensure that your Word document is fully accessible. This page will walk you through all the steps required for making a Word document accessible.

Step 2

Select File > Export > Create XPS / PDF Document

File export create pdf/xps

Step 3

Select the options button to adjust the settings before selecting publish. These options will ensure that you are exporting a tagged PDF.

select options

Step 4

Adjust the options to reflect the following:

  • Page range set to all
  • Publish what set to Document
  • Include non-printing information has all three checkboxes selected
Page range set to all Publish what set to Document Include non-printing information has all three checkboxes selected

Now validate

Open up your PDF and ensure there are tags in the document.

That’s it!

Now you can begin making your PDF document accessible which is much easier if starting with a Word document.

Let me be your champion for inclusion. I offer tailored solutions (and self-paced courses!) to ensure your documents meet and exceed compliance expectations. For more detailed insights, tutorials, and in-depth discussions on accessibility and related topics, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel: The Accessibility Guy on YouTube. Subscribe for regular updates!

More posts like this:

Categories: Microsoft Office Accessibility, PDF Accessibility
Tags: ,

Related Articles

Responses

  3. How to tag a link in PDF - July 5, 2023

    […] easiest method to properly embed links is to use MS Word to create your PDF. If your links are properly formatted in Word, and you properly create your PDF, the links will […]

  12. College PDF Accessibility: Practical Solutions July 18, 2024

    […] Conversion Challenges: The PDF’s accessibility issues stem from inadequate preparation during the conversion process from Microsoft Word. Solution: Prioritize accessibility considerations during the document creation and conversion process. Implement accessibility best practices in Microsoft Word to facilitate seamless conversion and improve overall document accessibility. […]

Report

Harassment or bullying behavior
Contains mature or sensitive content
Contains misleading or false information
Contains abusive or derogatory content
Contains spam, fake content or potential malware

Block Member?

Please confirm you want to block this member.

You will no longer be able to:

  • See blocked member's posts
  • Mention this member in posts
  • Invite this member to groups
  • Message this member
  • Add this member as a connection

Please note: This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.

Report

You have already reported this .

Discover more from The Accessibility Guy

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading