How to Check Photo Descriptions After Exporting a PDF
By ImgHeal · Updated
A PDF may look identical to the Word document or slide deck while carrying a different accessibility structure. Check the file that relatives will actually receive, not only the editable original.
Explore this topic: Share restored photos
Start with the intended source descriptions
Keep the authoring document available and identify a few informative photos with known descriptions. Include a crowded portrait, a comparison pair, and an image with important caption text if the document contains them. Record how those elements are meant to be encountered. Confirm that captions are real text rather than part of a flattened page image. A visual match between source and PDF does not establish that its image descriptions, headings, or reading relationships have been retained.
Inspect the exported PDF's accessible structure
Use a suitable PDF accessibility tool, such as Acrobat Pro's documented checks, to look at figures, alternate text, and reading order. Review entries that require manual checking rather than treating a completed report as a universal pass. An image-only page may need a different remediation approach from one missing a single figure description. Fix the authoring document or the PDF through a supported workflow, keeping a separate delivery version. Do not assume OCR by itself describes an informative family photograph or its restoration status.
Test the saved delivery copy again
Reopen the final PDF after changes and follow the representative pages with available reading tools. Confirm that the correct description belongs to the correct photo and that captions are not repeated unnecessarily. Check navigation, source references, and the distinction between original and restored versions. If the PDF remains difficult for the intended recipient, supply an accessible text or document alternative alongside it. Record which version was reviewed so a later image replacement does not silently invalidate the completed check.
Check before sharing this record
- Compare with known descriptions in the source document.
- Inspect figure tags and reading order manually.
- Recheck the final saved delivery file.
Sources and further reading
- Adobe: Create and verify PDF accessibilityChecking PDF tags, alternate text, reading order, and issues needing manual inspection.
Questions about this restoration task
Does a PDF accessibility checker certify every photo description?
No. Tools can detect structural problems and flag manual checks, but they cannot establish that a description accurately communicates the photograph's meaning and historical uncertainty.
Continue with a related guide
Try a restoration on a copy of your photo
Keep the original scan. Upload a separate digital copy, review ImgHeal’s generated result, and decide whether it suits your needs.
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