How to Set Up An Accessible Foxit Workstation

In today’s digital age, it’s crucial to ensure that documents are accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. Foxit PDF Editor offers a range of tools to help make PDFs accessible. Today’s post provides detailed steps to set up an accessible Foxit workstation. It’s useful whether you’re preparing documents for legal compliance or simply want to ensure your content is accessible to all.

Video Guide

Setting Up the Tags Window in your Foxit Workstation

Accessing and Pinning the Tags Window

1. Right-click in the Left Column: Navigate to the far left side of the screen and right-click in the column area.
2. Select Tags: From the context menu, select “Tags” to pull up the list of tags for the document.
3. Pin Tags: Right-click again and select “Pin tags.” This ensures that the tags button is always visible when Foxit is launched.

Importance of Tags

Tags are essential for accessibility as they define the structure of the document, making it easier for assistive technologies to navigate and interpret the content.

Utilizing Accessibility Tools

Accessing the Accessibility Toolbar

Click on the “Accessibility” button at the top of the toolbar. This opens a range of options related to document accessibility.

Key Accessibility Tools

• Auto Tag Document: Automatically tags the document, assigning the correct structure to the content.
• Full Check: Performs a comprehensive check of the document’s accessibility and generates a report.
• Reading Order Tool: Allows users to manually tag and adjust the reading order of the document content.

Running the Action Wizard

Making the Document Accessible

1. Navigate to Action Wizard: Go to File > Action Wizard.
2. Select Make Accessible: In the action list on the right, choose “Make Accessible” or “Make Accessible for PDF UA.”
3. Start Action: Click on the button to launch the action. Enter the document’s title, subject, author, and keywords.

Setting Document Metadata

• Title, Subject, Author, Keywords: Enter relevant details for the document’s metadata.
• Reading Language: Specify the document’s reading language, which is crucial for assistive technologies.

Performing an Accessibility Check

Running Full Check

1. Select Full Check: In the accessibility toolbar, choose “Full Check.”
2. Start Checking: Click “Start Checking” to run an automated scan of the document.
3. Review Results: On the left panel, review the results of the accessibility check.

Fixing Issues

• Alternate Text: For missing alternate text on figures, right-click the issue and select “Fix.” Add appropriate alternate text or mark images as decorative.
• Tags Panel: Use the tags panel to verify and walk through the tag tree, ensuring all content is properly tagged.

Managing Form Fields

Adding and Recognizing Form Fields

1. Form Area: Navigate to the form area of Foxit PDF Editor.
2. Add Form Fields: Use the available tools to add form fields such as checkboxes, text fields, and buttons.
3. Form Field Recognition: Run the form field recognition tool to automatically identify and tag form fields.

Updating Document Metadata

Accessing Document Properties

1. File Button: Click on the File button and select “Properties.”
2. Document Information: Update the title, subject, creator, author, producer, and keywords.
3. Custom Metadata: Add any custom metadata required for the document.

Using the Pre-flight Menu

Accessing Pre-flight Tools

1. Search for Pre-flight: Use the search bar to find the pre-flight menu.
2. Add to Quick Access Toolbar: Add the pre-flight option to the Quick Access toolbar for easy access.

Common Pre-flight Tasks

• Embedding Fonts: Ensure that all fonts used in the document are embedded.
• PDF UA Identifier: Add the PDF UA identifier to signify compliance with accessibility standards.
• Annotations: Create and fix link annotations and other content entries.

Initial View Settings

Customizing the Initial View

1. File Button: Go to File and select “Properties.”
2. Initial View Tab: Choose the “Initial View” tab to customize settings like bookmarks and page layout.
3. Set Preferences: Adjust the initial view settings according to my needs, such as setting it to display bookmarks or a specific page.

Ensuring Foxit PDF documents are accessible is not just a legal requirement but a moral obligation to make content available to all. From tagging and running accessibility checks to managing form fields and updating metadata, your accessible Foxit workstation provides all the necessary tools to achieve full accessibility compliance.

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!