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Checkpoint 27Medium Priority1 failure condition

Checkpoint 27: Navigation

PDFs must use appropriate semantic structure to enable multiple navigation methods for finding content.

Related WCAG:2.4.5

Checkpoint 27: Navigation

PDFs must use appropriate semantic structure to support multiple ways of navigating and finding content. This ensures users can locate information efficiently using their preferred navigation methods.

What This Means

WCAG Success Criterion 2.4.5 requires that multiple ways be available to locate content within a set of documents, except where content is the result of a step in a process. For PDFs, this translates to providing navigation aids through:

  • Semantic structure: Proper use of headings, sections, and landmarks
  • Bookmarks: A navigable table of contents in the PDF reader
  • Links: Functional hyperlinks within the document
  • Table of contents: A structured listing of document sections
  • Search functionality: Text that can be searched (proper text, not images)

The Matterhorn Protocol's Checkpoint 27 addresses this requirement with a single condition: "Use appropriate semantics." This is not about specific technical failures but about ensuring the document's structure supports navigation.

Why It Matters

Different users navigate documents in different ways:

  • Screen reader users: Navigate by headings, landmarks, links
  • Keyboard users: Tab through interactive elements, use shortcuts
  • Sighted users with motor impairments: May use bookmarks, links, or search
  • Users with cognitive disabilities: Benefit from clear structure and multiple paths
  • All users: Appreciate the ability to find content efficiently

Without good navigation support:

  • Users must read linearly from beginning to end
  • Finding specific information becomes difficult
  • Large documents become inaccessible
  • Returning to previously-read sections is challenging
  • User frustration increases significantly

Consider a 200-page technical manual. Without navigation aids, finding a specific topic requires scrolling through the entire document. With proper structure, users can jump directly to the relevant section.

The Checkpoint Requirement

27-001: Use Appropriate Semantics (No Specific Testing Required)

What It Means: This checkpoint is a general requirement rather than a specific testable failure. It emphasizes that documents should use proper semantic structure throughout to enable navigation.

Key Elements:

  • Headings properly tagged (H1-H6)
  • Sections and articles appropriately marked
  • Lists tagged as lists
  • Tables tagged as tables
  • Links functional and meaningful
  • Document structure reflects content organization

Relationship to Other Checkpoints: This checkpoint is satisfied by properly implementing other checkpoints:

  • Checkpoint 14 (Headings)
  • Checkpoint 15 (Tables)
  • Checkpoint 16 (Lists)
  • Checkpoint 28 (Annotations/Links)

Navigation Best Practices

Heading-Based Navigation

Proper heading structure is the foundation of PDF navigation:

  1. Use heading tags consistently: H1 for document title, H2 for major sections, etc.
  2. Maintain hierarchy: Do not skip levels (H1 > H2 > H3, not H1 > H3)
  3. Make headings descriptive: "Installation Requirements" not just "Requirements"
  4. Cover all sections: Every distinct section should have a heading

Screen reader users navigate by:

  • Pressing H to jump between headings
  • Pressing 1-6 to jump to specific heading levels
  • Using heading lists to see document structure

Bookmarks

Bookmarks provide a sidebar navigation panel in PDF readers:

  1. Create from headings: Bookmarks should mirror heading structure
  2. Include all major sections: Users expect to find content via bookmarks
  3. Use descriptive names: Bookmark text should clearly identify the destination
  4. Maintain hierarchy: Nested bookmarks show document organization

Table of Contents

For longer documents, include a table of contents:

  1. Link entries to destinations: Each TOC entry should link to its section
  2. Tag properly: Use appropriate list or TOC structure
  3. Include page numbers: Help users orient within the document
  4. Keep updated: TOC must match actual document structure

Internal Links

Links within the document support navigation:

  1. Cross-references: "See Section 3.2" should link to that section
  2. Index entries: Index terms should link to their occurrences
  3. Figure/table references: "Figure 5" should link to the figure
  4. Return links: Allow users to return from footnotes, glossary entries

Search Functionality

Ensure document content is searchable:

  1. Real text, not images: Text must be actual characters, not images of text
  2. OCR for scanned documents: Apply OCR to make scanned text searchable
  3. Proper character encoding: Text must use standard Unicode

How to Implement in Adobe Acrobat

Creating Bookmarks from Structure

  1. Open View > Show/Hide > Navigation Panes > Bookmarks
  2. Click the Options menu (hamburger icon)
  3. Select New Bookmarks From Structure
  4. Choose elements to include (typically headings)
  5. Review and organize the bookmark hierarchy

Manual Bookmark Creation

  1. Navigate to the destination in the document
  2. Go to Bookmarks panel
  3. Click the New Bookmark icon
  4. Type a descriptive name
  5. Drag to position in bookmark hierarchy

Verifying Heading Structure

  1. Open Tags panel
  2. Expand the tag tree
  3. Verify headings use H1-H6 tags
  4. Check hierarchy is logical and complete
  5. Ensure all sections have appropriate headings

Creating Internal Links

  1. Go to Tools > Edit PDF > Link > Add or Edit
  2. Draw a rectangle around text to be linked
  3. Set Link Action to "Go to a page view"
  4. Navigate to destination and click "Set Link"
  5. Verify the link is tagged properly in the Tags panel

Adding a Table of Contents

If document lacks a TOC:

  1. Create a new page at the document beginning
  2. Add TOC text with section names and page numbers
  3. Tag the TOC as a list or with TOC tags
  4. Add links from each entry to its destination
  5. Tag links appropriately

How to Implement in Microsoft Word

Using Built-in Heading Styles

  1. Apply Heading 1, Heading 2, etc., to section titles
  2. Use the Navigation Pane (View > Navigation Pane) to verify structure
  3. Headings automatically become PDF bookmarks when exported properly

Generating Table of Contents

  1. Position cursor where TOC should appear
  2. Go to References > Table of Contents
  3. Choose a TOC style
  4. Word creates linked TOC from heading styles
  5. Update TOC if document changes: right-click > Update Field

Creating Cross-References

  1. Go to Insert > Cross-reference
  2. Select the type (Heading, Figure, etc.)
  3. Choose the specific item to reference
  4. Select what to insert (text, page number, etc.)
  5. The cross-reference becomes a working link

PDF Export Settings

  1. File > Save As > PDF
  2. Click Options
  3. Check Create bookmarks using: Headings
  4. Ensure Document structure tags for accessibility is checked
  5. This preserves navigation structure in the PDF

How to Implement in Other Tools

Adobe InDesign

  1. Use Paragraph Styles for consistent headings
  2. Create TOC: Layout > Table of Contents
  3. Export with Create Tagged PDF enabled
  4. Enable Bookmarks in export settings

LaTeX

  1. Use \section, \subsection commands for structure
  2. Include \tableofcontents for automatic TOC
  3. Use hyperref package for PDF links and bookmarks
  4. Compile with pdflatex or similar

Google Docs

  1. Use built-in heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.)
  2. Insert TOC: Insert > Table of contents
  3. Download as PDF
  4. May need post-processing in Acrobat for full compliance

Testing Navigation

Bookmark Testing

  1. Open Bookmarks panel
  2. Verify all major sections are represented
  3. Click each bookmark to verify destinations
  4. Check hierarchy matches document structure

Heading Navigation Testing

  1. Open PDF with screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)

  2. Press H repeatedly to move through headings

  3. Verify:

    • All sections reachable by heading
    • Heading levels announced correctly
    • Descriptive heading text

  4. Test heading level navigation (1, 2, 3 keys)

Link Testing

  1. Tab through the document
  2. Verify all links are reachable
  3. Activate links and check destinations
  4. Test return navigation where applicable

Search Testing

  1. Use Ctrl/Cmd + F to open find
  2. Search for terms that appear in the document
  3. Verify search finds all occurrences
  4. Confirm scanned pages are searchable (if applicable)

TOC Testing

  1. Navigate to table of contents
  2. Click/activate each entry
  3. Verify links go to correct destinations
  4. Check TOC entries match actual section titles

Validation Checklist

  • Document has logical heading structure (H1-H6)
  • Bookmarks exist and cover major sections
  • Bookmark hierarchy matches heading structure
  • Table of contents is present (for longer documents)
  • TOC entries link to correct destinations
  • Internal cross-references work
  • All text is searchable
  • Screen reader heading navigation works
  • Multiple navigation paths exist

Navigation for Different Document Types

Reports and Manuals

  • Comprehensive bookmark structure
  • Detailed table of contents
  • Cross-references to related sections
  • Index with links (for longer documents)

Forms

  • Section headings for form parts
  • Instructions linked to relevant fields
  • Help text accessible via links

Presentations (PDF from slides)

  • Bookmarks for each slide or section
  • Links between related slides
  • Navigation aids for non-linear reading

Academic Papers

  • Heading structure matching paper organization
  • Linked citations to references
  • TOC for longer papers
  • Linked figures and tables

Legal Documents

  • Section/article bookmarks
  • Cross-references between provisions
  • Linked table of contents
  • Index of defined terms

Additional Resources

Official Standards and Guidelines

Navigation and Structure

Tools

This documentation is based on the Matterhorn Protocol 1.02, the definitive reference for PDF/UA validation. Checkpoint 27 is a general requirement for appropriate semantics rather than specific testable failures. Compliance is achieved by properly implementing related checkpoints for headings, links, and document structure. For the most current information, consult the PDF Association and W3C WCAG guidelines.

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