Ensure all text is visible

Risk

Erroneous text may appear and/or be detected on final printed materials.

Issues

• Text is hidden instead of deleted.

• Text is covered with an image or another layer to hide it.

• Full transparency is applied to a text layer.

• The text color is the same as the background color.

• Text is overlaid on top of other text.

Example

Solution

Do:

✅ Name all your text layers, so you don’t lose track of them.

✅ Standardize on layer names.

✅ Delete all unused layers before creating a PDF.

✅ Apply a program-filter shadow.

Don’t:

❌ Make your text the same color as the background.

❌ Cover your text with images and graphics.

❌ Create PDF documents with hidden layers.

❌ Place live text layers under the background layer.

❌ Duplicate text to create an effect (i.e. shadows/ bold).

Tips

The following steps may be applied in Adobe Acrobat Pro to display hidden text:

• Go to Tools and select Protection.

• Select Remove Hidden Information.

• Ensure Hidden Text is checked off.

• Open the Hidden Text window and check off Show Only Hidden Text.

• Ensure the hidden text does not contain any vital information.