How to Fix Inaccessible Links in a PDF
Standards this affects
- PDF/UA — ISO 14289-1, clause 7.18 (annotations / links)
- WCAG 2.1 — 2.4.4 Link Purpose (A), 1.3.1 (A)
- Section 508 — 502 / WCAG 2.0 AA by reference
What this means
An accessible PDF link has two parts: a Link tag in the structure tree that wraps both the visible text and the link annotation, and link text that describes where the link goes. Screen reader users often pull up a list of all links out of context, so the text must make sense on its own.
Why it matters
"Click here" and "read more" tell a screen reader user nothing when read out of context, and a raw URL like "https://example.com/x?id=92" is painful to hear character by character. Descriptive link text (e.g. "Download the 2025 accessibility report") is usable for everyone.
How the checker flags it
- The checker reports links without alternate/descriptive text or untagged link annotations.
- Link text is "click here", "read more", or a bare URL.
- A link is visually clickable but not present in the tag tree.
How to fix it
- 1
Write descriptive link text at the source
In Word, edit each hyperlink's display text to describe the destination ("View the pricing page") rather than "click here", then export to PDF.
- 2
Ensure links are tagged
In Acrobat Pro, use All Tools → Prepare for accessibility, or the Tags panel, to confirm each link is wrapped in a Link tag that contains the visible text and the link annotation.
- 3
Add alternate text for unavoidable bare URLs
If a printed URL must stay visible, add alternate text to the Link tag (via its Properties) so the screen reader announces a meaningful description instead of reading the URL aloud.
Check your PDF for this issue
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Frequently asked questions
- Are bare URLs ever acceptable?
- A visible URL is fine for print, but for accessibility wrap it in a Link tag with descriptive alternate text, or use descriptive link text. Avoid relying on the raw URL string as the only cue to a link's purpose.