How to Fix Missing Alternative Descriptions for Annotations in PDFs | PAC 2024

In today’s digital age, ensuring that all users, including those with disabilities, can access documents is crucial. Missing alternative descriptions for annotations is a common issue when creating PDFs. This article guides you on resolving this problem when testing for accessibility using the PAC 2024 tool.

Video Guide

Annotations in PDFs, such as links and references, need alternative text descriptions to be accessible to screen readers and other assistive technologies. This article explains two methods to fix missing alternative descriptions for annotations.

Identifying the Issue

First, identify where the missing alternative descriptions occur. In the video example, we used a sample PDF file with a table of contents and an endnote. Testing the file with the PAC 2024 tool revealed the missing alternative descriptions for annotations.

Steps to Identify the Error:

1. Load the sample PDF file that you suspect has accessibility issues.
2. Run the PAC 2024 tool to test the PDF for accessibility errors.
3. Look at the detailed results to find annotations with missing alternative descriptions.

Method 1: Manual Tag Editing

Manually edit the tags in the PDF to add alternative descriptions. Use Adobe Acrobat or a similar PDF editing tool.

Steps for Manual Tag Editing:

1. In your PDF editor, open the tags panel to view all the tags in the document.
2. Find the specific tag that is causing the error. In the video, the error was associated with a reference and link object.
3. Change the reference tag to a link tag to make it more appropriate for the content.
4. Right-click the link tag, select properties, and add an alternative description. For example, “Sample data page one.”
5. Save the edited PDF.
6. Run the PAC 2024 tool again to ensure the error is resolved.

Method 2: Using Print Production Tools

Use the print production tool’s preflight function in Adobe Acrobat to automate the process of fixing annotation errors.

Steps for Using Print Production Tools:

1. Open the print production tools in your PDF editor.
2. Select the preflight function, represented by a wrench icon.
3. In the preflight options, search for “annotation” to find relevant fixes.
4. Choose the option “Create content entry for link annotations” and apply the fix.
5. Save the changes made to the PDF.
6. Test the PDF again with the PAC 2024 tool.

Ensuring PDFs are accessible is essential for inclusivity and compliance with accessibility standards. The two methods outlined in this article—manual tag editing and using print production tools—provide effective solutions for fixing missing alternative descriptions for annotations. By following these steps, you can make your PDFs more accessible and user-friendly for everyone.

Download the Free Section 508 Checklist for PDF Accessibility:

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!