How to Fix 'Other Elements Alternate Text Failed' in Adobe Acrobat
Question details
The user needs to resolve an Adobe Acrobat accessibility checker error stating that alternate text failed for 'other elements', even though visible images already have alt text.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Running the accessibility checker on a PDF document to ensure compliance for screen readers.
- Observed behavior
- The accessibility checker throws the error 'Other elements alternate text failed' due to hidden untagged objects, nested graphics, or crop boundary issues.
Before modifying the PDF tags or deleting objects, ensure you have a backup copy of your original document in case you accidentally remove an essential structural element.
Identify and Artifact Untagged Objects in the Content Pane
This is the most common fix. Untagged objects, such as decorative lines or nested graphics, trigger the error and should be marked as artifacts so screen readers ignore them.
Acrobat often interprets untagged design elements as images that require alternate text. Since Acrobat's error report does not always clearly point out which object is failing, using the Content pane is the most effective way to manually locate and fix the issue.
In Adobe Acrobat, open the Content pane from the left-hand navigation menu. If it's not visible, go to View > Show/Hide > Navigation Panes > Content.
Scroll through the content tree and look for objects that do not have a proper container (these are untagged objects).
Click on an untagged object in the list. Acrobat will highlight the corresponding element in the document view so you can see what it is.
Right-click the selected object. If it is purely decorative, choose 'Create Artifact'. If it contains meaningful content, tag it appropriately with standard alternate text.
Adjust the Crop Frame for Placed PDFs
Sometimes, a placed PDF element or nested graphic extending beyond the page's crop boundary causes accessibility checks to fail.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the 'Other elements alternate text failed' error appear when all images have alt text?
This error typically occurs because Adobe Acrobat detects untagged objects, such as decorative lines, nested graphics, or hidden layout elements. Even though they aren't standard images, Acrobat interprets them as visual elements requiring alternate text.
How do I find which object is causing the accessibility error in Acrobat?
Open the Content pane in Acrobat and click through the objects listed without a container. When you select an object in the Content pane tree, Acrobat will place a highlight box over the corresponding element on the document page.
What does 'Create Artifact' mean in Adobe Acrobat?
Creating an artifact removes the selected object from the document's tag tree and accessibility structure. It effectively tells screen readers to ignore the object, making it the perfect solution for decorative elements like background graphics, borders, or empty text boxes.
