How to Fix Reading Order Problems in Accessible PDFs
Question details
The user needs to correct the reading order in tagged PDFs when assistive tools read the content in an unexpected sequence.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat / PDF
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Testing the accessibility of a tagged PDF document using Acrobat Read Aloud or standard screen readers like JAWS.
- Observed behavior
- The screen reader or Read Aloud tool reads the document out of order, ignoring the previously adjusted reading order and PDF document tags.
Ensure you are using a dedicated screen reader like JAWS or NVDA for accessibility testing, as Acrobat's built-in Read Aloud tool does not reliably interpret PDF tags.
Set Tab Order to Use Document Structure
Configure the page properties to ensure keyboard navigation and screen readers follow the established PDF tags.
Even if your document is tagged correctly, the tab order may default to a different setting, causing assistive technologies to ignore the reading order.
Open your PDF and click on the Pages icon in the left sidebar to view the page thumbnails.
Select all the pages in the thumbnail panel by clicking one page and pressing Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac).
Right-click the selected pages and choose Page Properties at the bottom of the context menu.
Navigate to the Tab Order tab, select the 'Use Document Structure' option, and click OK to apply the changes.
Verify Form Fields in the Tags Panel
Ensure that interactive form fields are correctly ordered and nested within the document's structural tags.
Manage and Edit PDF Documents Easily with WPS Office
While advanced accessibility tagging can be complex, WPS Office offers a highly intuitive PDF editor to view, read, rearrange, and modify your PDF documents efficiently. Use WPS PDF to ensure your document's basic structure and text flow logically before finalized tagging.
- 1. Open WPS PDF: Launch WPS Office and select the PDF tab from the main dashboard.
- 2. Load Document: Click Open to load your PDF document into the WPS PDF viewer.
- 3. Manage Pages: Use the Page menu to rearrange, extract, or delete pages to establish a logical structural flow.
- 4. Edit Content: Navigate to the Edit tab to modify text blocks, adjust formatting, and finalize document contents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Acrobat Read Aloud ignore my PDF tags?
Acrobat's built-in Read Aloud tool uses its own legacy rendering logic and does not reliably process modern PDF structural tags. It is highly recommended to use professional screen readers like NVDA or JAWS for accurate accessibility testing.
How do I fix PDF form fields reading at the wrong time?
Form fields may be trapped at the bottom of the reading order panel. Open the Page Properties by selecting all page thumbnails, and set the Tab Order to 'Use Document Structure'. Additionally, ensure the <Form> tags are in the correct sequence within the Tags panel.
Does adjusting the tags automatically fix the tab order?
No, adjusting the reading order or tags does not automatically change the tab order for keyboard navigation. You must manually set the Tab Order to 'Use Document Structure' in the Page Properties to sync them.
