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che2165
che2165
Participant
April 1, 2026
Answered

InDesign Accessibility: MathML Equations Exported as Figures Requiring Alt Text in Tagged PDF (21.3)

  • April 1, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 59 views

I am working on making the digital version of our document accessible. The math equations were placed into the InDesign (v 21.3) document using the Math Expressions (MathML) panel. After exporting the document to PDF with the “Create Tagged PDF” option enabled and running an accessibility check, the equations were flagged for alt‑text issues. There are more than 200 equations in our document, so I am looking for an alternative to creating alt-text for each of them. What is the most efficient way to resolve this accessibility problem?

    Correct answer Abhishek Rao

    Hi ​@che2165,

     

    Thanks for your patience while I checked with the product team.

    They’ve confirmed that this is by design. MathML equations from the Math Expressions panel are currently exported as figures (images) in tagged PDFs, not as accessible math structure. That’s why Acrobat flags them for missing alt text.

    What this means

    • Each equation is treated as an image
    • Alt text is required to pass accessibility checks
    • There’s no built-in way in InDesign right now to export them as true accessible math

    I understand this functionality is important, and I’m sorry it’s not available at the moment. If possible, please create a UserVoice for this feature request and share the link here so others can upvote it as well. This helps the team prioritize it and keeps you updated on any progress.

     

    Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions. Happy to help.

    Abhishek

    1 reply

    Abhishek Rao
    Community Manager
    Abhishek RaoCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    April 3, 2026

    Hi @che2165,


    Thanks for reaching out, and I'm sorry for the inconvenience caused. I understand how challenging this can be, especially with a large number of equations involved.

    I'm currently checking this with the product team to get more clarity on the expected behavior and possible solutions. I'll share an update here as soon as I have more information.


    Appreciate your patience in the meantime.

    Abhishek

    Abhishek Rao
    Community Manager
    Abhishek RaoCommunity ManagerCorrect answer
    Community Manager
    April 10, 2026

    Hi ​@che2165,

     

    Thanks for your patience while I checked with the product team.

    They’ve confirmed that this is by design. MathML equations from the Math Expressions panel are currently exported as figures (images) in tagged PDFs, not as accessible math structure. That’s why Acrobat flags them for missing alt text.

    What this means

    • Each equation is treated as an image
    • Alt text is required to pass accessibility checks
    • There’s no built-in way in InDesign right now to export them as true accessible math

    I understand this functionality is important, and I’m sorry it’s not available at the moment. If possible, please create a UserVoice for this feature request and share the link here so others can upvote it as well. This helps the team prioritize it and keeps you updated on any progress.

     

    Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions. Happy to help.

    Abhishek

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