How to Remediate Scanned PDFs — OCR Guide for Accessibility 2026

If you have scanned PDFs that are inaccessible, you're not alone. Scanned PDFs are essentially images with no selectable text — making them completely inaccessible to screen readers and assistive technologies. Scanned PDF remediation requires OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to convert the image into selectable text, followed by tagging and structure fixes.

This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about remediating scanned PDFs — from what OCR is and why it matters to step-by-step instructions, tools, and best practices.

What is a Scanned PDF?

A scanned PDF is a PDF document created by scanning a physical document (paper, book, or document). The result is essentially an image of the document — not selectable text. Screen readers cannot interpret images, making scanned PDFs completely inaccessible to blind and visually impaired users.

Why scanned PDFs are problematic:

• No selectable text: Screen readers can't read images
• No tags: No document structure for navigation
• No alt text: Images within the scan have no descriptions
• No language specification: Screen readers can't pronounce correctly
• ADA lawsuits: Scanned PDFs are a common target in ADA lawsuits

Scanned PDF remediation is the process of converting these image-based PDFs into accessible documents that screen readers can interpret.

What is OCR (Optical Character Recognition)?

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is technology that converts scanned images of text into selectable, searchable text. OCR is the first and most critical step in scanned PDF remediation.

OCR works by:

1. Analyzing the image for patterns that look like text
2. Converting those patterns into digital text
3. Preserving the layout and positioning of the original document
4. Creating selectable, searchable text that screen readers can interpret

After OCR, the PDF is no longer just an image — it now contains selectable text that can be tagged, structured, and made accessible.

How to Remediate Scanned PDFs — Step by Step

Step 1: Run OCR on the Scanned PDF

Using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

1. Open your scanned PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
2. Go to Tools → Scan & OCR → Recognize Text
3. Select "In This File" to OCR the current document
4. Click "Recognize Text"
5. Wait for the OCR process to complete

OCR settings to optimize accessibility:

• Primary OCR Language: Set to the document's language
• Output Style: Select "Formatted Text & Graphics" for best accessibility
• Downsample Images: Maintain image quality

Using Our Free PDF Remediation Tool

Upload your scanned PDF to our free PDF remediation tool for automated OCR and remediation.

Step 2: Add Tags (Auto-Tag)

After OCR, the PDF has selectable text but still lacks document structure. Add tags:

1. Go to Tools → Accessibility → Add Tags to Document
2. Wait for Acrobat to analyze and tag the document
3. Review the tags in the Tags panel (View → Show/Hide → Navigation Panels → Tags)

PDF tagging remediation is essential for screen reader navigation. Tags provide the document structure that assistive technologies need.

Step 3: Add Alt Text to Images

Images within the scanned PDF need alt text descriptions:

1. Go to Tools → Accessibility → Set Alternate Text
2. Review each image and add descriptive alt text
3. Mark decorative images as "Decorative figure"

Step 4: Fix Reading Order

Ensure content reads in logical sequence:

1. Go to Tools → Accessibility → Reading Order
2. Review the reading order numbers on content blocks
3. Drag and drop blocks to correct the order

Step 5: Set Document Language

Specify the document language for proper pronunciation:

1. Go to File → Properties → Advanced
2. Set the Language field

Step 6: Set Document Title

Add a descriptive title:

1. Go to File → Properties → Description
2. Add a Title for the document

Step 7: Run Accessibility Full Check

Verify all issues are resolved:

1. Go to Tools → Accessibility → Full Check
2. Select WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the reporting standard
3. Click Start Checking
4. Review and fix any remaining issues

OCR Tools for Scanned PDF Remediation

Common Scanned PDF Issues & How to Fix Them

1. No Selectable Text

Issue: The PDF is a pure image with no text layer.

Fix: Run OCR using Adobe Acrobat Pro → Tools → Scan & OCR → Recognize Text.

2. Incorrect Character Recognition

Issue: OCR misreads characters (e.g., "rn" for "m").

Fix: Use the OCR correction tool in Acrobat Pro → Tools → Scan & OCR → Recognize Text → Correct Recognized Text.

3. Missing Language Specification

Issue: The PDF doesn't specify language, causing pronunciation errors.

Fix: Set language in File → Properties → Advanced → Language.

4. Missing Tags

Issue: After OCR, the PDF still lacks tags.

Fix: Use Add Tags to Document in Adobe Acrobat Pro.

5. Incorrect Reading Order

Issue: Multi-column documents read in wrong order.

Fix: Use the Reading Order tool to correct.

Scanned PDF Remediation Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions — Scanned PDF Remediation

Internal Links — PDF Accessibility Resources