Images in PDFs

This lesson addresses how to check, modify, and add alt text to images in a PDF.

If you need to review the purpose of alt text or how to write good alt text, revisit the Alt Text for Images lesson from Accessible Design Concepts. 

Checking & Adding Alt Text - Option 1

To check or add alt text to images go to Tools and select Accessibility. In the Accessibility menu select "Set Alternative Text".

Adobe will scan the document for images. A pop-up box will appear with a field for you to enter alt text or mark an image as decorative.

If the document has multiple images, you can advance to the next image by clicking on the arrow buttons. Once you are done entering alt text for all of the images, select Save & Close.

Checking & Adding Alt Text - Option 2

If your document has multiple images, it can be easy to lose track of which image you are providing alt text for when using the Set Alternative Text tool. Another option is to go through the Tags pane and check the image properties. 

Follow the steps below to check the alt text through the Tags pane. 

1. Locate the image in the Tags pane. (Look for the <Figure> tag.)
2. Right-click on the tag and select Properties. 
3. The alt text (if it exists) will be displayed/can be added to the alt text field. 

Optional Hands-on Practice