How to Fix Acrobat Removing Text from InDesign Table Cells in PDF
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where text disappears from table cells when converting an InDesign document to an accessible PDF.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC / Adobe InDesign
- Device & OS
- macOS High Sierra
- Scenario
- Converting an InDesign document containing tables into an accessible PDF.
- Observed behavior
- Text from several cells in an InDesign table disappears after the document is converted to a PDF in Acrobat Pro DC.
Verify that the text actually exists and is not hidden or overset in the original InDesign table cells before troubleshooting the PDF export process.
Verify Table Structure and Update Export Settings
Check the original InDesign table formatting and adjust your PDF export settings to ensure all text is included during the conversion process.
In many cases, text missing from table cells during an accessible PDF conversion is caused by incorrect tagging settings or overset text in the source file.
Open your original document in Adobe InDesign and confirm the missing text is properly formatted and not overset within the table cells.
Go to 'File' > 'Export' in the top menu and choose 'Adobe PDF (Print)' or 'Adobe PDF (Interactive)' depending on your specific workflow needs.
In the Export dialog box, make sure the 'Create Tagged PDF' option is checked to maintain structural accessibility tags without dropping cell content.
Click 'Export' and open the resulting PDF file in Acrobat Pro DC to verify if the table text is now visible.
Test Document Corruption and Update Software
Isolate whether the issue is specific to a single corrupted document or caused by outdated software versions on macOS.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does text disappear when converting InDesign files to PDF?
Text can disappear due to unsupported fonts, incorrect export settings, corrupted table structures, or conflicts with accessibility tagging features during the export process.
How do I ensure my PDF is accessible without losing table data?
When exporting from InDesign, make sure 'Create Tagged PDF' is selected in the export dialog. Additionally, ensure table headers and cells are correctly defined in InDesign before exporting.
Can an older macOS version cause PDF conversion issues?
Yes, sometimes OS-level rendering bugs on older systems like macOS High Sierra can cause display or conversion issues in Acrobat. Updating your macOS and Adobe software can resolve these compatibility bugs.
