Problem

A JAWS/ZoomText/Fusion user is unable to get speech reading from a PDF document they have loaded

Resolution

Follow these points:

• Method 1 - Check there is selectable text in the document
• Method 2 – Attempt to save as text file
• Method 3 – Check document properties
• Method 4 - Ensure Adobe Acrobat Reader is installed
• Method 5 - Check Adobe Reader application settings

Document considerations

Method 1 - Check there is selectable text in the document

Open the document (Preferably in Adobe Acrobat Reader). Then try to select the text as letters or words. If the whole document is highlighted (not just the text itself) this implies that there is only the image layer and no text layer is present. JAWS/Fusion convenient OCR or third party OCR is required to read the document.

Method 2 – Attempt to save as text file

With the document open in Adobe Acrobat Reader click File > Save As Text then save this somewhere convenient and open the generated text file:
If text is present it means text should be available to read in the text layer
If no text is shown, the text layer is present and accessible but no text is in the text layer. OCR or the document is advised.

Method 3 – Check document properties

Another strategy is to check the document properties to see what security options have been set that may prevent text access. With the document open in Adobe Acrobat Reader do the following:
Click File > Properties > Security tab Check that the following are allowed:

Security Method: No security
Printing: Allowed
Content copying: Allowed
Content copying for accessibility: Allowed

• If content copying and content copying for accessibility are not allowed the document cannot be read with JAWS or ZoomText, where the above are allowed document reading can be successfully accomplished with JAWS or ZoomText.
• Where printing is allowed this will facilitate document OCR on the file in cases where other flags prevent reading.
• If all flags are not allowed contact the document author/publisher to obtain an unlocked copy.

Application considerations

Method 4 - Ensure Adobe Acrobat Reader is installed

Check Adobe Acrobat Reader, using Microsoft Edge or other browsers/documents readers are not supported. Install Adobe Acrobat Reader and ensure it is set to open PDF files as system default.

Method 5 - Check Adobe Reader application settings

Please see Recommended Adobe Reader settings for Zoomtext further guideane.