How to Apply Table Headers | Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

In today’s post, you’ll learn how to apply table headers using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. Table headers are essential for making your PDF tables accessible. Screen readers use them to describe the table’s layout and help users understand the data. You can set the first row, the first column, or both as headers based on the table’s structure.

Video Guide

Check Table Tags in Acrobat

To apply table headers in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, start by opening the tags panel. Expand the table structure and look for the cells in the first row or column. Identify which cells are table headers and which display table data.

Change Data Cells to Header Cells

You can turn <TD> cells into <TH> cells in two ways.

Option 1: Use Properties

Right-click the cell tagged as <TD>.
Click Properties.
Change the cell type to Table Header Cell.

changing a table data cell to table header cell in the tag properties menu.

Option 2: Use the Table Editor

Open the Accessibility tools.
Choose the Fix Reading Order panel.
Right-click the table and select Table Editor.
Select the cells you want to change.
Right-click, choose Table Cell Properties, and switch the type to Header Cell.

That’s all it takes. You’ve set those cells as headers. You can set the table scope here as well.

PRO-TIP: Create Accessible Tables at the Source

If you’re building your PDF from scratch, tools like Venngage can save you time by letting you set table headers before exporting to PDF.

Choose a default accessible template in Venngage that includes a table.
Click Start Editing to open the template in the browser.
Click the default table and select the Headers button.
Choose to set a header row, a header column, or both.
Download the PDF, open it in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, and check the tags panel.
Confirm that the table uses the <TH> cells you set in Venngage.

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Easy Fix for PDFs Created from Print to PDF

If you exported your document from Microsoft Word using the “Print to PDF” option, the file won’t have any tags. Adobe Acrobat won’t recognize tables, headers, or anything else.

To fix this:

Open the PDF in Acrobat.
Go to the Accessibility tools.
Click “Autotag Document.”

Adobe Acrobat will apply a basic tag structure. When you check the tags panel, you’ll usually see the first row of your table tagged as header cells. It might miss the first column, but you can fix that manually using the steps above if needed.

Table headers play a key role in making PDFs accessible, and with the right tools, applying them is a quick and straightforward process.

Let me be your champion for inclusion. I offer tailored solutions (and self-paced courses!) to ensure your documents meet and exceed compliance expectations. For more detailed insights, tutorials, and in-depth discussions on accessibility and related topics, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel: The Accessibility Guy on YouTube. Subscribe for regular updates!