Body
Environment
Adobe Acrobat Pro
Issue
You would like to address the "Needs Manual Check" items in the Accessibility Checker results.
Resolution
Two items will always be listed as "Needs Manual Check" after running the Accessibility Checker in Adobe Acrobat: Color Contrast and Reading Order. This does not mean that these items have failed the check; it just means that Acrobat cannot verify them automatically, and the user will have to verify them manually.
Color Contrast
Color contrast looks at the contrast between text and the background that it's on. Low contrast will present accessibility challenges to many users. Very often, color contrast can be verified without any additional steps. If the user is working with a document that has black text on a white background, that is high contrast and will pass.
If a document has colored text and/or backgrounds, however, you will need to use other tools to check color contrast.
- The WebAIM Color Contrast Checker is a simple, browser-based option that allows users to pick the colors used and see if they pass.
- If the PDF is highly designed and has many instances of potential color contrast errors (such as a poster, flier, or other graphic), users may need to open the file in a program like InDesign or Photoshop and use the color contrast tools there.
- If color contrast issues are identified, you will need to return to the original document and change the color to one that is high contrast.
Read Order
- The Read Order item requires manual verification that the items on each page will be read aloud by software, such as a screen reader, in the correct order. Adobe's website goes into detail about how to check and correct the Read Order.
- Once both items have been verified, the user can right-click on each and select "Pass" to clear out the flag.
Additional Information
Need additional information or assistance? Contact the ITS Service Center.