We are often asked if content can be published in PDF format, as this is a popular way of sharing documents.
The recommended format for web content is as an HTML publication. This is a time-stamped publication that opens in a web browser.
When to format new content as a PDF
It would be appropriate to use a PDF in these cases:
- The content is designed to be printed off by users
- You need to display complex content that is not web-friendly e.g. complicated diagrams or flow charts.
Otherwise we recommend publishing in HTML format. All PDFs published on GOV.UK should have a Gateway number.
Drawbacks of using PDFs
While PDFs are a useful document type for sharing internally, we do not use PDFs to share information on the web for these reasons:
- PDFs cannot be easily discovered by users through the search engines
- PDFs are not mobile-friendly, so they are more difficult to access
- It is easier to keep an HTML document accurate and up to date
Why we use HTML as the preferred format
HTML is the recommended format for web content because:
- HTML documents are easier to read online
- HTML documents are easier for users to locate in the search engines
- HTML pages can be easily located on mobile devices
- We need to comply with 'open standards' - we need to make sure we do not discriminate against people with disabilities.
- For example, content must be accessible by someone who has a visual impairment.