7 Fixable PDF Accessibility Errors to Avoid

PDF remediation is vital for making any PDF document accessible for people with disabilities. However, this is not an easy process to carry on. On your way to making documents accessible, there are several common mistakes that you could easily make, which are preventable.

Testing PDF for accessibility and carrying out PDF remediation can come with mistakes and issues. However, these remediation issues are easily fixable or, in fact, entirely avoidable if you know what they are. The main challenge is locating the error and understanding how to fix it.

7 Common Accessibility Issues in PDF Remediation

Testing PDF for accessibility and carrying out PDF remediation can come with mistakes and issues. However, these remediation issues are easily fixable or, in fact, entirely avoidable if you know what they are. The main challenge is locating the error and understanding how to fix it.

Here are some of the most common PDF remediation issues that cause difficulties in your PDF documents:

1. Missing Alternative Text

Missing an image alt text while remediating a file is not uncommon. These texts are the trickiest ones to tackle when you’re not well-versed in the specialized subject.

Every image must include an alt text to comply with the WCAG 2.0. It makes image reading easier for visually impaired people. If you skip or make a mistake in adding alt texts, screen readers won’t be able to understand what the image represents.

2. Not Embedding Fonts

When performing remediation for a document, embedding fonts is the most crucial step that cannot be avoided. Skipping this step in the beginning and performing it at the end of remediation can corrupt your document. Once your file is corrupted, you may have to start it all over again.

3. Getting Errors in Heading Structure

Losing track of the heading level while working on a large document is one very common mistake that happens frequently. It’s essential to get it right and understand when your heading structure is illogical.

4. Using Adobe Auto Tag Features

When a PDF is tagged logically, the reader can comprehend the content without difficulties. Programs such as text-to-voice need correctly structured documents that follow logical reading order. Moreover, people relying on a keyboard rather than a mouse find document navigation easier through tagged PDFs. Hence, tagging documents correctly without making any mistakes is vital.

But auto-tagging software like the one Adobe offers isn’t always your friend. It may work well but can also corrupt your document. So, relying on an auto tag feature is not always a correct choice.

Also Read — Edit PDF Documents Directly on Google Chrome Browser

5. Lacking Table Summary

A tabular format is easily understood in a PDF document. A user can easily navigate through a document with the help of a table of contents. But setting tables in a PDF document is not easy. It is time-consuming and is often easy to get it wrong.

Moreover, if you get it wrong or get the data mixed up, your document can become corrupted.

6. Disappearing Content

Tagging content in the wrong format may sometimes cause it to disappear. This “disappearance” happens when the PDF hides in several layers. To fix this, you will need to rearrange these layers, search for the hidden content with the content panel and rearrange it to make it visible.

7. Keeping Pages Untagged

When the content structure is divided into meaningful sections, the document is given a proper structure. Screen readers can read it conveniently and navigate it with ease. But when a document is not tagged, it comes with several other accessibility errors.

Moreover, if a document holds a blank page that needs to be remediated, you might miss it. To avoid this, using a tool meant for remediating PDFs is recommended.

8. Making PDFs Accessible

Automating your PDF accessibility process proves to be a great option to eliminate these errors. There are several PDF accessibility tools you can try out and save your time and efforts while being accurate and as quick as possible.

Author Bio: Emilie Brown works with the Digital Marketing team at PREP, an AI-based remediation software that enables businesses to create WCAG and ADA compliant PDFs in minutes. Her approach and methodology is simple, concise and to-the-point and connects with readers seeking for solution-driven content on topics related to accessibility and remediation. Apart from her time at work, she loves to spend time with her dog, volunteer and play her guitar.

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