Create and verify PDF accessibility Part 2

Create and verify PDF accessibility Part 2

Bookmarks

This check fails when the document has 21 or more pages, but doesn't have bookmarks that parallel the document structure.

To add bookmarks to the document, select Bookmarks on the Accessibility Checker panel, and choose Fix from the Options  menu. In the Structure Elements dialog box, select the elements that you want to use as bookmarks, and click OK. (You can also access the Structure Elements dialog box by clicking the Options menu on the Bookmark tab and selecting the New Bookmarks From Structure command.)

Note

See the related WCAG sections: 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (Level A), 2.4.5 Multiple Ways (Level AA)

Color contrast

When this check fails, it's possible that the document contains content that isn't accessible to people who are color-blind.

To fix this issue, make sure that the document's content adheres to the guidelines outlined in WCAG section 1.4.3. Or, include a recommendation that the PDF viewer use high-contrast colors:

  1. 1. Select the hamburger menu  (Windows) or the Acrobat menu (macOS) > Preferences. 

  2. 2. In the dialog that opens, from the left panel, select Accessibility.

  3. 3. Select Replace Document Colors and then select Use High-Contrast Colors. From the High-contrast color combination, choose the color combination that you want and then select OK.

Page content

Tagged content

This check reports whether all content in the document is tagged. Ensure that all content in the document is either included in the Tags tree, or marked as an artifact.

Do one of the following to fix this rule check:

  • Open the Content  panel and right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (macOS) the content that you want to mark as an artifact. Then, select Create Artifact from the context menu. (To display the Content tab, select the hamburger menu  (Windows) > View or select the View menu (macOS), and then select Show/Hide > Side panels > Content.)
  • Tag the content by choosing All tools > Prepare for accessibility > Fix reading order. Select the content, and then apply tags as necessary.
  • Assign tags using the Tags  panel. Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac OS) the element in the Tags tree, and choose Create Tag From Selection. Items such as comments, links, and annotations don't always appear in the Tags tree. To find these items, choose Find from the Options menu. (To display the Tags panel, select the hamburger menu  (Windows) > View or select the View menu (macOS), and then select Show/Hide > Side panels > Accessibility tags.)
Note

See the related WCAG sections: 1.1.1 Non-text content (A), 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A), 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (Level A), 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A), 3.1.2 Language of Parts (Level AA), 4.1.2 Name, role, value

Tagged annotations

This rule checks whether all annotations are tagged. Ensure that annotations such as comments and editorial marks (insert and highlight) are either included in the Tags tree or marked as artifacts.

  • Open the Content  panel , and right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac OS) the content you want to mark as an artifact. Then, select Create Artifact from the context menu. (To display the Content panel, select the hamburger menu  (Windows) > View or select the View menu (macOS), and then select Show/Hide > Side Panels > Content).
  • To tag the content, select All tools > Prepare for accessibility > Fix reading order. Then, select the content and apply the tags as necessary.
  • Assign tags using the Tags  panel. (To display the Tags panel, choose select the hamburger menu  (Windows) > View or select the View menu (macOS), and then select Show/Hide
    > Side Panels > Accessibility tags).

To have Acrobat assign tags automatically to annotations as they're created, choose Automatically tag form fields from the Options ( . . . ) menu on the Tags panel.

Note

See the related WCAG section: 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A), 4.1.2 Name, role, value

Tab order

Because tabs are often used to navigate a PDF, it's necessary that the tab order parallels the document structure.

To fix the tab order automatically, select Tab Order on the Accessibility Checker panel, and choose Fix from the Options  menu.

To manually fix the tab order for links, form fields, comments, and other annotations:

  1. 1. Click the Page Thumbnails panel on the navigation pane.

  2. 2. Click a page thumbnail, and then choose Page Properties from the Options  menu.

  3. 3. In the Page Properties dialog box, choose Tab Order. Then, select Use Document Structure, and select OK.

  4. 4. Repeat these steps for all thumbnails in the document.

Note

See the related WCAG section: 2.4.3, Focus Order (Level A)

Character encoding

Specifying the encoding helps PDF viewers' present users with readable text. However, some character-encoding issues aren't repairable within Acrobat.

To ensure proper encoding, do the following:

  • Verify that the necessary fonts are installed on your system.
  • Use a different font (preferably OpenType) in the original document, and then re-create the PDF.
  • Re-create the PDF file with a newer version of Acrobat Distiller.
  • Use the latest Adobe Postscript driver to create the PostScript file, and then re-create the PDF.
Note

The WCAG doesn't address Unicode character mapping.

Tagged multimedia

This rule checks whether all multimedia objects are tagged. Ensure that content is included in the Tags tree or marked as an artifact.

Open the Content  panel and right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac OS) the content that you want to mark as an artifact. Then, select Create Artifact from the context menu. (To display the Content panel, select the hamburger menu  (Windows) > View or select the View menu (macOS), and then select Show/Hide > Side Panels > Content.)

Tag the content by choosing All tools > Prepare for accessibility > Fix reading order. Select the content, and then apply tags as necessary.

Assign tags using the Tags  panel. Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac OS) the element in the Tags tree, and choose Create Tag From Selection. (To display the Tags panel, select the hamburger menu  (Windows) > View or select the View menu (macOS), and then select Show/Hide > Side Panels > Accessibility tags.)

Note

See the related WCAG sections: 1.1.1 Non-text Content. (A), 1.2.1 Audio- only and Video- only (Prerecorded). (A), 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded). (A), 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded). (A), 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded). (AA)

Screen flicker

Elements that make the screen flicker, such as animations and scripts, can cause seizures in individuals who have photosensitive epilepsy. These elements can also be difficult to see when the screen is magnified.

If the Screen Flicker rule fails, manually remove or modify the script or content that causes screen flicker.

Note

See these related WCAG sections: 1.1.1 Non-text Content. (A), 1.2.1 Audio- only and Video- only (Prerecorded). (A), 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded). (A), 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded). (A), 2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold. (Level A)

Scripts

Content cannot be script-dependent unless both content and functionality are accessible to assistive technologies. Make sure that scripting doesn't interfere with keyboard navigation or prevent the use of any input device.

Check the scripts manually. Remove or modify any script or content that compromises accessibility.

Note

See these related WCAG sections: 1.1.1 Non-text Content. (A), 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide. (Level A), 4.1.2 Name, role, value

Timed responses

This rule check applies to documents that contain forms with JavaScript. If the rule check fails, make sure that the page does not require timed responses. Edit or remove scripts that impose timely user response so that users have enough time to read and use the content.

Note

See the related WCAG section: 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable. (Level A)

For URLs to be accessible to screen readers, they must be active links that are correctly tagged in the PDF. (The best way to create accessible links is with the Create Link command, which adds all three links that screen readers require to recognize a link.) Make sure that navigation links are not repetitive and that there is a way for users to skip over repetitive links.

If this rule check fails, check navigation links manually and verify that the content does not have too many identical links. Also, provide a way for users to skip over items that appear multiple times. For example, if the same links appear on each page of the document, also include a "Skip navigation" link.

Note

See the related WCAG section: 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks. (Level A)

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