Make tables in PDFs accessible
Screen readers announce the column and row headers as users move through a table. That only works if the table has marked header cells and a simple structure.
Build tables the accessible way
- Use a real table, never tab characters or spaces to line things up.
- Mark the first row as a header row (Table Design → Header Row).
- Avoid merged and split cells where you can; they confuse navigation.
- Do not use a table for page layout.
Check an existing PDF
The checker flags tables with no header cells. In Acrobat, the Tags panel shows which cells are marked TH (header) and which are TD (data).
Guides last checked 2026-10-18. General information, not legal advice. Menu names can differ between software versions.