How to Control Screen Reader Reading Order Across PDF Pages
Question details
The user needs to configure a PDF so that screen readers read multi-column articles in the correct logical sequence when the text spans across multiple pages, rather than reading the top of the next visual page.
- Product
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating or editing an accessible, multi-column newsletter where articles are broken up and continue on later pages.
- Observed behavior
- The screen reader starts reading at the top of the next page instead of jumping to the correct continuation location of the current article.
Ensure you have access to a PDF editor equipped with an accessibility Tags pane, as standard PDF viewers cannot modify the underlying logical structure of the document.
Adjust the Logical Tag Order in the Tags Pane
Screen readers follow the logical tag order rather than the visual page layout. Reordering the tags ensures assistive technologies read the content in the intended flow.
Visual elements like page breaks are largely irrelevant to assistive technologies. By restructuring the tags tree, you can seamlessly connect an article that spans across multiple pages so the screen reader treats it as one continuous flow.
Launch your PDF editor (such as Adobe Acrobat) and expand the navigation pane on the left side to reveal the 'Tags' panel. If it's hidden, enable it from the View > Show/Hide > Navigation Panes menu.
Expand the tag tree and locate the tags corresponding to where the article ends on the first page. Then, scroll down the tree to find the tags for the continuation of that same article on the subsequent page.
Click and drag the tags from the continued page so that they immediately follow the tags at the bottom of the page where the text originally paused. The tag order must exactly match the sequence in which you want the content to be read.
Save the document and test the flow using a built-in 'Read Out Loud' feature or a third-party screen reader to ensure the transition between pages is seamless.
Use WPS Office to Create and Read PDFs Seamlessly
WPS PDF offers an intuitive reading mode, document conversion, and editing tools that help you manage complex layouts and export documents with clean, reliable formatting.
- 1. Launch WPS PDF: Open WPS Office and click on the 'PDF' tab from the home screen to launch the built-in PDF editor.
- 2. Open your document: Select 'Open' and choose your multi-column newsletter or document.
- 3. Utilize reading and editing tools: Navigate to the 'Read' tab to access text-to-speech and various viewing options, or use the 'Edit' tab to modify text blocks directly to fix layout issues before finalizing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my screen reader read the PDF out of order?
Screen readers rely on the underlying structural tags of the PDF rather than the visual layout. If a document lacks tags or if the tags are ordered incorrectly (such as strictly top-to-bottom across multiple columns), the screen reader will read the text out of its logical sequence.
Can I fix reading order without advanced PDF software?
Editing the exact structural tag tree usually requires advanced PDF accessibility software. However, you can often avoid this issue entirely by returning to the source document (like Microsoft Word or InDesign), correcting the reading order or text threading there, and re-exporting the document as a tagged PDF.
How do I test the reading order of my PDF?
You can test the reading order by using built-in features like 'Read Out Loud' in your PDF viewer, or by using free screen reader software such as NVDA or JAWS to navigate through the document. The 'Order' pane in advanced editors also provides a visual numbered overlay of the reading sequence.
