PDF link and accessibility -- download yes or no?

Question

I'm creating a site with downloadable PDF links in which we add a parameter at the end of the file download URL to tell the browser how to serve up the file:

https://example.com?ref=0&download=y

Using the parameter download=y opens the browser's file download dialog, asking the user to save the file to their desktop so they can open it with their machine's default PDF viewer.

Using download=n will open the browser's built-in PDF viewer, allowing the user to read the PDF without saving it to their machine.

I'm trying to understand which approach is more accessible for mobile / desktop / users with disabilities. Is one approach inherently better than the other from an accessibility perspective?

Answer 1

You could always let the user decide. If your link went directly to a PDF, then the user can change their browser settings to either view the PDF within the browser or to use an external viewer. I much prefer that over the web developer trying to choose for me (no offense). Personally, I like to view the PDF externally in Acrobat because the screen reader handles the PDF pretty well if the PDF is tagged. If you don't have a tagged PDF, then it won't matter how you serve up the file because the visually impaired user will have a tough time reading it.