Creating Accessible PDFs with Adobe InDesign

Description

This article provides instructions on how to use Adobe InDesign to create accessible PDFs at Idaho State University (ISU).

Guide Navigation

Converting PDFs to Indesign Documents

You can convert PDFs to InDesign documents while maintaining document fidelity in InDesign.

  • Open a PDF in an InDesign document
    • Launch InDesign
    • Select File > Open PDF
    • Select the PDF you want to edit and then select Open. You can also drag and drop PDF files directly into the InDesign application window to initiate the conversion process.
  • Place a PDF in an InDesign document
    • Select File > Place and select a PDF file. You can also drag and drop PDFs into InDesign
    • Select Open PDF to convert it into an editable InDesign document or select Place PDF to insert it as an image

InDesign Conversion PDF Features and Limitations

Learn about the supported features, limitations, and other details while converting PDFs to Adobe InDesign documents.

  • PDF to InDesign conversion features:
    • Open multiple PDFs from any source (e.g., PDFs created from Illustrator, Photoshop, Express, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple Numbers, Canva, etc.)
    • Strikethrough, superscript and subscript, baseline shift, underline, tables, special characters, hyperlinks, nested ordered and unordered lists, spot colors, and gradients are supported.
    • Can't open unsupported, digitally signed, or password-protected PDF files.
    • Superscript and Subscript are visually correct and editable in most cases.
    • Tables are supported.
    • Paragraph Styles and Character Styles are created as part of the PDF to INDD document conversion only if the number of unique styles in the document isn’t more than 80.
    • PDF conversion supports the Drop Shadow Effect in PDFs created in InDesign. Object Opacity, Blending modes, and the optimization for creating multiple text frames are now fully or partially supported for PDFs.
    • Grouping of paragraphs into a single text frame is supported.
    • Select Preserve InDesign Editing Capabilities in the export dialog to PDF. This will help recreate the PDF as it was originally created in InDesign.
  • Limitations and known issues:
    • InDesign isn't able to convert PDF files that are corrupted or malformed in any manner and were created from unreliable sources.
    • InDesign does not support:
      • Advanced Bullets & Numbered lists (having different colors or styles).
      • Advanced Table Features (e.g., tables with different borders and variations, and advanced Bullets and numbers).
    • You can convert a PDF or Illustrator file that is less than 150 MB and has a maximum page count of 200.
  • Unable to open the PDF created in Illustrator:
    • If the Illustrator (AI) file was created without selecting the Create PDF Compatible File option while saving in Illustrator, InDesign cannot process it. To fix this, open the file in Illustrator, re-save it with the Create PDF Compatible File option selected, and then try to open it again.
    • Files saved without PDF compatibility in older versions of Illustrator will also fail to open in InDesign. To fix this, open the file in Illustrator, re-save it with the Create PDF Compatible File option selected, and then try to open it again.
    • If the file still doesn’t work, there may be an internal issue with the .ai file itself. In this case, InDesign cannot process the file. Try troubleshooting in Illustrator (such as simplifying complex artwork, removing corrupt elements, or resaving under a new name) before reopening it.

For additional information see, Adobe - Convert PDF features and Limitations

FAQs about using InDesign to Format Documents

How do I add InDesign Metadata (a document title)?

  • File menu > File Info

How do I adjust InDesign Styles, Tag Structure, and Order?

  • Window menu > styles > paragraph styles - This pulls up all styles.
  • Select text you want to tag > select a style > right click style > export category > PDF Tag: choose tag.
  • Leave bullet points and numbered lists as automatic tags.
  • Window menu > articles.
    • This allows you to choose the order in which things are exported.
    • Useful when not using flowing text style.
    • Panel menu > used for tagging order in tagged PDF.

How do I check InDesign Reading Order?

  • Reading order is defined in the layers panel (where stacking is controlled in the document).
  • In PDF from, go to view > zoom > reflow to double check the reading order.

How do I use InDesign Captions?

  • There is no styles option to tag the captions style as a caption in a PDF.
  • Use the Live Captions feature for short captions.
    • Object menu > captions > caption setup > metadata: “headline”.
    • Select image > options > captions > generate live captions.
  • A live caption can’t wrap to a second line, so do this for longer captions.
    • Paragraph styles > captions > right click > edit > style name: “caption”.
    • In PDF, tags panel > options button > edit role map > delete /Caption /P

How do I Anchor Objects?

  • In InDesign, select image > select blue square > drag to where you want it.
  • Without the anchor, the tag order will show all document text in order, ignoring titles, tables, and any other tags.

How do I create Tables?

  • Highlight header row > table menu > convert rows to header.
  • InDesign always nests tables inside paragraph tags, which will get marked as an error when ran through a checker.
    • Pull tables out of <p> tags and delete the empty <p> tags.
  • InDesign does not mark table scope.
    • Accessibility tool > reading order > click on table > table editor > select header cells (shift key to select multiple) > right click > table properties > scope: “column” if header row, “row” if first column > OK

How do I add Hyperlinks in InDesign?

  • Window menu > interactive > hyperlinks > highlight link text > select plus sign on panel to create new link.
  • Turn off Shared Hyperlink Destination.
  • Choose proper place on the “link to” drop down menu (URL, Email, etc.).

How do I format lists in InDesign?

  • Select the section you want to turn into a bullet point > make sure you are in the paragraph format > select the “bulleted list” button in the control panel.
    • You can adjust the spacing of the bullet from the text and the indent by holding the alt or option key and slecting the “bulleted list” tool again.
  • Go to the “paragraph styles” tool on the right panel and select the ”new style” button > name it > select “apply style to selection” > highlight all items in the list > use the new style you just created.

How do I add Alt Text in InDesign?

  • Select image > “object menu” > “object export options” > “alt text” tab > choose proper metadata field (title, description, etc.) > type in alt text.

What are the suggested finishing touches after converting InDesign to PDF?

  • Clean up tag tree and walk the tags tree.
  • InDesign does not tag vector object paths -Use the preflight panel.
  • InDesign does not properly tag table cells.

Additional Resources

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