Fix Acrobat Accessibility Checker Not Recognizing Alternate Text
Question details
Alternate text added to PDF images is not being detected or recognized by the accessibility checker.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Running an accessibility check on a PDF document containing multiple images that already have alternate text applied.
- Observed behavior
- The Acrobat Accessibility Checker fails to read or recognize the alternate text, flagging the images as missing descriptions.
Before running automated repairs, save a separate backup copy of your current PDF and locate the original source document to prevent data loss.
Use Acrobat Preflight to Analyze and Repair PDF Fixups
Run a comprehensive accessibility report and use Acrobat's built-in Preflight tool to automatically fix underlying document structure errors.
The Preflight tool within the Print Production suite can automatically analyze and repair hidden structural issues that prevent the Accessibility Checker from reading your alternate text.
Open the Accessibility tool in Acrobat and run a Full Accessibility Check. Review the generated report to identify exactly which images are failing.
Navigate to the 'Tools' pane and select 'Print Production'. From the right-hand menu, click on 'Preflight'.
In the Preflight dialog box, locate and expand the 'PDF Fixups' section. Select 'Analyze and Repair' to let Acrobat correct the tagging and alt text structures automatically.
Verify Accessibility in the Source Document
Identify and correct alternate text issues in the original source file, such as Microsoft Word, before exporting to PDF.
Create Accessible PDFs Easily with WPS Office
If you are struggling with complex accessibility exports and broken tags in Microsoft Office, try WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible environment to add alternate text to document images and seamlessly export them to high-quality PDFs.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite on your device.
- 2. Add Alternate Text: Open your document in WPS Writer, right-click any image, and select 'Picture Properties' to add comprehensive alternate text.
- 3. Export to PDF: Click 'Menu' and select 'Export to PDF' to generate a clean, accessible document ready for distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my alternate text disappear when converting Word to PDF?
This commonly occurs if the PDF export settings in Word are not configured to include document structure tags. When saving as a PDF, ensure the option 'Document structure tags for accessibility' is checked in the options menu.
Can I manually add alternate text directly inside Adobe Acrobat?
Yes. You can use the 'Set Alternate Text' tool within Acrobat's Accessibility toolset. This feature scans the document for images and allows you to manually type in the missing alternate text without needing the original source file.
What should I do if the Preflight Analyze and Repair tool doesn't fix my alt text?
If Acrobat's Preflight tool cannot resolve the underlying structural issues, the best course of action is to return to the original source document (like Microsoft Word), fix the accessibility issues there, and export a brand new PDF.
