How to Remove Small Numbered Marks Caused by Acrobat Advanced Tagging
Question details
The user wants to remove tiny numbered marks (such as 32T) that appear in PDFs after converting from Word, which negatively impacts document accessibility.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Converting a Word document to a tagged PDF for accessibility purposes.
- Observed behavior
- Tiny numbered marks resembling toner specks appear near links, headings, or tagged text, becoming part of the PDF content and failing accessibility standards.
Before exporting your document, ensure you have the original Microsoft Word file available, as the most effective fix requires changing the export settings in the source application.
Disable Enable Advanced Tagging in Word Export Settings
Turning off the advanced tagging feature during the Word to PDF conversion is the most reliable way to prevent these artifacts from generating.
The 'Enable Advanced Tagging' option in the Acrobat PDFMaker add-in is known to trigger these tiny numbered marks. Disabling it usually resolves the issue without negatively impacting standard document accessibility.
Open your source document in Microsoft Word. Go to the Acrobat tab on the top ribbon and click on 'Preferences'.
In the Acrobat PDFMaker Settings dialog box, locate the 'Enable Advanced Tagging' checkbox and uncheck it.
Click 'OK' to save your changes, and then export your document to PDF again.
Mark the Numbered Marks as Artifacts in Acrobat
If you cannot re-export the document, you must manually hide these marks from screen readers to maintain accessibility compliance.
Inspect Source Document Formatting
Sometimes these marks are triggered by specific formatting elements like footnotes or complex link fields in the source document.
Try WPS Office for Seamless Word to PDF Conversion
If you are struggling with Acrobat plugin glitches in Microsoft Word, WPS Office offers a built-in, highly compatible Word-to-PDF converter that creates clean, artifact-free PDFs without the need for third-party add-ins.
- 1. Open document in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open your original Word document.
- 2. Export to PDF: Go to the 'Menu' or 'Tools' tab and select 'Export to PDF'.
- 3. Save the file: Choose your save location, adjust any necessary settings, and click 'Export' to generate a clean PDF.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do tiny numbers like 32T appear in my exported PDF?
These tiny numbers are visual artifacts often generated by the 'Enable Advanced Tagging' feature in the Acrobat PDFMaker add-in for Microsoft Word during the conversion process.
Does disabling Advanced Tagging ruin PDF accessibility?
No. Disabling 'Enable Advanced Tagging' prevents these unwanted artifacts while still allowing standard structural tags to be generated, which is usually sufficient for basic accessibility compliance.
How can I fix a PDF that already has these numbered marks?
If you cannot re-export the file from Word, you will need to open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat, locate the marks in the Tags panel, and manually change them to 'Artifacts' so they are ignored by screen readers.
Can footnotes in Word cause PDF tagging artifacts?
Yes, complex formatting such as footnotes, endnotes, or specific hyperlink fields in the source Word document can sometimes interact poorly with PDF tagging tools, resulting in visual artifacts.
