Adobe Acrobat Pro - Accessing Accessibility Tools

To ensure documents meet accessibility standards (such as WCAG or Section 508), users must use the full version of Adobe Acrobat Pro. Please note that these editing and checking features are not available in the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Verifying Your Software Version

Before attempting to fix accessibility issues, confirm you are using the correct version of the software:

1. Open Adobe Acrobat.
2. Select Help > About Adobe Acrobat.
3. Ensure the window displays "Adobe Acrobat Pro." If it displays "Reader," you will not have access to the tools listed below.

Locating Accessibility Tools

Depending on your version of Acrobat Pro, use one of the following methods to locate the accessibility features.

Method 1: Tools Tab (Classic Interface)

1. Open your PDF document.
2. Click the Tools tab in the top navigation bar.
3. Locate the Protect & Standardize section and click Accessibility.
4. The Accessibility shortcut will now appear in the right-hand pane for future use.

Method 2: All Tools Menu (Modern Interface)

1. Open your PDF document.
2. Click All tools in the top-left corner of the application.
3. Select Prepare for accessibility from the list (You may have to select View More to see it).

Commonly Used Accessibility Features

Once the Accessibility pane is open, you can utilize the following functions:

• Accessibility Check: Runs a comprehensive scan to identify issues like missing alt text or incorrect heading structures.
• Autotag Document: Automatically applies a logical structure to the PDF so screen readers can navigate the content.
• Set Reading Order: Allows you to manually adjust the flow of text and images to ensure the document is read in the correct sequence.
• Set Alternate Text: Opens a prompt to add descriptions to images and figures within the document.
• Setup Assistant: A guided wizard that helps configure the software environment for optimal use with assistive devices.

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