Remediate Forms in Adobe Acrobat

A document's title and language are part of its metadata. Metadata is the descriptive information embedded within a PDF that helps identify the document and tells assistive technologies how to interpret its content. In Adobe Acrobat, you can add a descriptive document title and identify the document's language through Document Properties. You can also include additional information, such as the author's name, subject, and keywords.

Set the Document Title

In Windows

1. Navigate to the Menu tab.
2. Select Document Properties.
3. In the Document Properties box, select the Description tab.
4. Enter the title in the Title field.

On Mac

1. Navigate to the File tab.
2. Select Document Properties.
3. In the Document Properties box, select the Description tab.
4. Enter the title in the Title field.

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Set the Document Language

In Windows

1. Navigate to the Menu tab.
2. Select Document Properties.
3. In the Document Properties box, select the Advanced tab.
4. Enter the language in the Language field under Reading Options.

On Mac

1. Navigate to the File tab.
2. Select Document Properties.
3. In the Document Properties box, select the Advanced tab.
4. Enter the language in the Language field under Reading Options.

Some PDF security settings may prevent screen reader users from accessing accessibility features. Check your security permissions in Document Properties to ensure that Protected View and Enhanced Security is disabled. For most documents, the No Security option is preferred.

To create a form in Adobe Acrobat, you must add form fields to your document. This can be done in two ways: automatically (using Acrobat’s form field detection tool) or manually by adding fields yourself. Adobe Acrobat's automatic detection tool is generally effective in identifying form fields. We recommend using this tool first. Once form fields have been identified, you can always go back in and manually add missing form fields or edit existing ones.

Automatic Form Field Detection

1. Open the Prepare a Form tool.
2. Enable form field detection. If a dialog box appears asking if the document is a fillable form, select Yes, Detect Form Fields.
3. All detected form fields will be selectable and include placeholder text.

Manually Adding Form Components

When manually adding form fields, you have a variety of options to choose from. These include:

• Checkboxes
• Radio buttons
• Drop-down lists
• List boxes
• Buttons
• Date fields
• Digital signatures

All of these options can be accessed in the Prepare a Form window.

When Adobe Acrobat automatically detects form fields, it may assign generic names like Text Box 1 or Text Box 2. These names don't tell users what information belongs in each field.

To make your form easier to navigate, replace the default field names with descriptive labels, and add helpful tooltips. Screen readers use tooltips to help users identify form fields and understand what information to enter. For example, a field labeled Date may be understandable visually, but a tooltip such as Enter the date in MM/DD/YYYY format provides additional guidance.

Add Descriptive Titles and Tooltips

1. Right click on a form field box.
2. Select Properties from the menu.
3. Type in a descriptive title in the Name box.
4. Type in helpful instructions in the Tooltip box.

Run the Accessibility Checker to identify potential accessibility issues in your PDF. The checker can help you find problems that need attention, but it cannot identify every accessibility barrier. You should also manually review your document's structure, form fields, and reading order.

Running the Accessibility Checker should be both one of the first and last things you do in a PDF. For more information:

• View Adobe Support's documentation: Verifying PDF Accessibility.
• Watch TTaDA video short: Accessing and Understanding the Accessibility Checker (8:18)

Launch the Accessibility Checker

1. Navigate to the All tools option.
2. Select Prepare for accessibility.
3. Select Check for accessibility. The Accessibility Checker Option dialog box will appear.
4. Click Start Checking at the bottom of the Accessibility Checker dialog box. The Accessibility Checker pane will open on the right-hand side of the screen.

Tagging PDFs is crucial for document accessibility. Document tags provide an underlying formatting structure that defines the document's layout and enables screen readers to navigate the content more effectively. These tags make it possible for screen readers to identify elements such as headings, lists, tables, etc.

• Introduction to Tags (7:55)
• Autotagging in Adobe Acrobat (8:44)
• Change, Combine, Delete, and Reorder Tags in Adobe Acrobat (11:13)
• Manually Tag PDFs using the Reading Order Panel (7:55)
• Tag a List (11:39)
• Tag a Nested List (6:56)
• Tag a Table (12:29)
• Tag an Image (6:44)

Once all form fields have been added, you will need to ensure they are tagged appropriately. Some form fields may appear as Unmarked Annotations, meaning they have not been properly included in the document's tag structure. Therefore, they will not appear in the Content, Tags, or Reading Order menus.

Add Tags to Form Fields

1. Open the Tags display pane in the Side Panel menu.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right-hand corner, indicating menu options.
3. Choose the option labeled Find.
4. Choose Find: Unmarked Annotations from the drop-down list.
5. Select Search Document.
6. Click on the Find button.
7. Found elements will be highlighted in pink. Tag Elements for all found items.

When someone uses the Tab key to move through your form, the fields should follow a logical reading order. If they don't, users may have difficulty understanding or completing the form. Adobe Acrobat allows you to display form field tab numbers so you can review their sequence. If the fields are out of order, you can rearrange them in the Fields pane.

Show Form Field Tab Numbers

1. Open the Fields display pane in the Side Panel menu.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right-hand corner, indicating menu options.
3. Choose the option labeled Show Tab Numbers.

Use these numbers to help you re-order your form fields within the Fields display menu.

Reading order and tag structure are closely related. A document's reading order is the sequence in which content is read by assistive technologies. A correct tag structure ensures that content is presented in a logical reading order, even when the visual layout is more complex. Tables, multi-column designs, and other complex layouts may disrupt the intended reading order.

Video Tutorials

• Introduction to Reading Order (4:57)
• Set and Edit Reading Order (6:29)

If your document contains images, they must first be tagged as figures. Once an image has been tagged, you can add alternative text from the Accessibility Tool bar.

1. Select Prepare for Accessibility from the Tools menu.
2. Select Add Alternate Text from the Accessibility toolbar.
3. Add a clear description in the Text field box.

Video Tutorial

• Tag an Image (6:44)