How do I add alt text to a map in a PDF for accessibility?

Open the PDF in Acrobat and go to Prepare for accessibility. Run the Accessibility Checker to see if any images need alt text. Select the image of the map and right-click to add alt text. Type a short description of the map's main features. Save the PDF after adding the alt text.

If my map PDF is a blurry scan, can I still make it accessible using Acrobat?

You can use Acrobat's Prepare for accessibility to auto-tag scanned PDFs. If the scan is very blurry, the software may not recognize the text and images correctly. You may need to use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) first to turn the scan into readable text. After OCR, check and fix all tags, reading order, and alt text by hand. Very poor scans may never be fully accessible, so try to get a better original if possible.

What is the difference between PDF/UA and WCAG standards for accessible maps?

PDF/UA WCAG. PDF-specific accessibility standard Works for all digital content, not just PDFs Focuses on structure and tags in PDF files Covers color, contrast, and all web content Often required for official PDF documents Required for websites and many digital files

Prepare Accessible Maps in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Prepare an accessible version of the map package [document=MapDelivery_June2025.pdf] by adding…+

Prepare an accessible version of the map package [document=MapDelivery_June2025.pdf] by adding alt text and tags so compliance reviewers can check accessibility.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

BImprove — “do it better”Make the package pass compliance review without back-and-forth: in…+

Make the package pass compliance review without back-and-forth: in [document=MapDelivery_June2025.pdf] add descriptive alt text to each map image explaining content and scale, tag reading order on the title and legend, run the accessibility checker, fix flagged issues, and attach a one-page accessibility report showing alt text samples and remaining issues for the reviewers.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open the PDF document you want to check for accessibility.
2
Click the Tools tab at the top of the Acrobat window.
3
Scroll through the list and select Accessibility to add the Accessibility tools to your workspace if they are not already visible.
Best practiceIf you do not see the Accessibility tools, you may need to add them from the Tools pane as they are not shown by default.
4
In the Accessibility tools pane, click Full Check.
5
In the Accessibility Checker Options dialog, review the settings and click Start Checking.
Best practiceFor a thorough check, ensure all checkboxes are selected before starting the check.
6
Review the results displayed in the Accessibility Checker panel on the left side of the screen.

In the appWith the API

You can right-click in the Navigation Pane to show the Accessibility tags panel for more detailed tag inspection.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

TaggingAdding labels to parts of a document so screen readers can understand it.ExampleTagging a document helps visually impaired users navigate its content with a screen reader.

Alt textA short description for images so people who cannot see them know what they show.ExampleA person using a screen reader hears 'a red bicycle leaning against a brick wall' when they encounter the image.

Reading orderThe order in which a screen reader reads the content on a page, which should follow a logical flow.ExampleA screen reader follows the specified reading order to present the document's content logically.

Who does this

3 roles

Accessibility SpecialistInstructional DesignerDocument Remediator

FAQ

about this task

Open the PDF in Acrobat and go to Prepare for accessibility.
Run the Accessibility Checker to see if any images need alt text.
Select the image of the map and right-click to add alt text.
Type a short description of the map's main features.
Save the PDF after adding the alt text.

Auto-tagging in Acrobat is when the software tries to add structure tags to a PDF by itself. This helps screen readers understand what is a heading, a paragraph, or a table. For maps, auto-tagging is important because it makes the document easier to read for people with disabilities. But, you still need to check and fix problems that the computer might miss.

You can use Acrobat's Prepare for accessibility to auto-tag scanned PDFs.
If the scan is very blurry, the software may not recognize the text and images correctly.
You may need to use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) first to turn the scan into readable text.
After OCR, check and fix all tags, reading order, and alt text by hand.
Very poor scans may never be fully accessible, so try to get a better original if possible.

PDF/UA	WCAG
PDF-specific accessibility standard	Works for all digital content, not just PDFs
Focuses on structure and tags in PDF files	Covers color, contrast, and all web content
Often required for official PDF documents	Required for websites and many digital files

Fixing accessibility in the source file, like Word, is better because it saves time and gives better results. When you export a PDF from an accessible source, the tags and reading order are usually correct. This means you will have fewer problems to fix later in Acrobat.

Prepare Accessible Maps

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

Other guides