Enterprise Toolkit | Windows Registry Reference

Access (Accessibility)

Note: Preferences belonging to this feature reside in multiple hives.

Acrobat provides many configurable preferences that help IT make the reading of PDFs more accessible for visually and motion-impaired users. These preferences control how PDFs appear on the screen and how they are read by a screen reader. Adobe provides these IT and user interface tools to government, educational institutions, and other customers who make servicing these users a top goal. Accessibility functionality falls into three distinct functional categories: For 10.x products, most preferences related to accessibility are available through the Accessibility Setup Assistant, which provides on-screen instructions for setting these preferences. Some preferences that affect accessibility are not available through the Accessibility Setup Assistant including preferences in the Reading, Forms, and Multimedia categories.

The names shown for some preferences in the Accessibility Setup Assistant are different from the names for the same preferences shown in the Preferences dialog box. Acrobat Help uses the names shown in the Preferences dialog box.

For more information about accessibility features, see http://www.adobe.com/accessibility.


This preference category contains the following subfeature(s):

Override Page Display

The override page display settings allow users to change any display settings that may be embedded in a PDF by the document author.

Summary table
bOverridePageLayout Toggles the ability of the application to override the page layout embedded in the PDF.
bOverrideZoom Enables the zoom setting drop down list so that the user can specify a default zoom setting for all documents and overrides Page Display settings.
iPageLayout Specifies the user selected page layout override.
iZoomScale Specifies the value in % to zoom when iZoomType is set to a % value and overrides Page Display settings.
iZoomType Specifies the zoom scale for all other documents other than a % scale and overrides Page Display settings.
Supported on WindowsSupported on MacSupported by AcrobatSupported by Adobe Reader
Data type boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default 0
Version # 7.x-10.0
HKCU Path Access
HKLM Path Not lockable
Summary Toggles the ability of the application to override the page layout embedded in the PDF.
Details When this preference is enabled (1), iPageLayout should be configured. Possible values include:
  • 0: Use the PDFs embedded page layout
  • 1: Use the user-specified layout.
GUI mapping Preferences > Access > Override Page Display > Always use Page Layout Style
Supported on WindowsSupported on MacSupported by AcrobatSupported by Adobe Reader
Data type integer: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default null
Version # 9.0+
HKCU Path Access
HKLM Path Not lockable
Summary Specifies the user selected page layout override.
Details When bOverridePageLayout is set to 1, the override drop down list becomes enabled so that the user can set the desired page layout. Possible values include:
  • 1: Single Page
  • 2: Single Page Continuous
  • 3: Two Up Continuous
  • 5: Two Up
GUI mapping Preferences > Access > Override Page Display > Always use Page Layout Style drop down list
Supported on WindowsSupported on MacSupported by AcrobatSupported by Adobe Reader
Data type boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default 0
Version # 7.x+
HKCU Path Access
HKLM Path Not lockable
Summary Enables the zoom setting drop down list so that the user can specify a default zoom setting for all documents and overrides Page Display settings.
Details PDF authors can specify what zoom level a PDF will open at. When enabled (1), the zoom drop down list becomes active so that the user can specify a default zoom level for all documents and set iZoomScale. Possible values include:
  • 0: Use the documents default zoom setting.
  • 1: Enable the zoom setting drop down list.
GUI mapping Preferences > Access > Override Page Display > Always use Zoom Setting
Supported on WindowsSupported on MacSupported by AcrobatSupported by Adobe Reader
Data type integer: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default null
Version # 8.x+
HKCU Path Access
HKLM Path Not lockable
Summary Specifies the value in % to zoom when iZoomType is set to a % value and overrides Page Display settings.
Details Possible values include a range beginning with Fit Page to Reflow. When selected, % values are stored in iZoomScale. To set a value, configure the UI and look at the registry/plist preference to see what has been written. Possible values include:
  • 199a: 10%
  • 4000 25%
  • 8000: 50%
  • c000: 75%
  • 10000: 100%
  • etc.
GUI mapping Preferences > Access > Override Page Display > Always Use Zoom Setting
Supported on WindowsSupported on MacSupported by AcrobatSupported by Adobe Reader
Data type integer: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default null
Version # 8.x+
HKCU Path Access
HKLM Path Not lockable
Summary Specifies the zoom scale for all other documents other than a % scale and overrides Page Display settings.
Details % scales are stored in iZoomScale. Possible values include:
  • 1: Fit Page
  • 2: Fit Width
  • 3: Fit Hieght
  • 4: Fit Visible
  • 6: Reflow
GUI mapping Preferences > Access > Override Page Display > Always Use Zoom Setting

Document Color Options

Color option preferences are stored in Access, but most color choices are stored in Originals. Both background and text colors may be individually configured to improve accessibility.

Values set by Custom Colors (accessibility)
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Acrobat
Reader\10.0\Originals\cAccessTextColor]
"iAccessTextColorBlue"=dword:00000000
"iAccessTextColorGreen"=dword:00010000
"iAccessTextColorRed"=dword:00000000
"iAccessTextColorSpace"=dword:00000001
Values set by Use High Contrast Colors (accessibility)
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Acrobat
Reader\10.0\Originals\cAccessBackgroundColor]
"iAccessBackgroundColorBlue"=dword:00000000
"iAccessBackgroundColorGreen"=dword:00000000
"iAccessBackgroundColorRed"=dword:00000000
"iAccessBackgroundColorSpace"=dword:00000001


Summary table
bOverrideLineArtColors Limits color changes to black text and line art when iAccessColorPolicy is enabled and a replacement color has been specified.
Supported on WindowsSupported on MacSupported by AcrobatSupported by Adobe Reader
Data type boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default 1
Version # 7.x+
HKCU Path Access
HKLM Path Not lockable
Summary Limits color changes to black text and line art when iAccessColorPolicy is enabled and a replacement color has been specified.
Details While the default is 1, the preference is not read unless "Accessibility" enabled (1). Possible values include:
  • 0: Don't replace text or line art colors.
  • 1: Replace text or line art colors.
See also bAccessOverrideDocColors in Originals.
GUI mapping Preferences > Access > Document Color Options > Change the color of line art as well as text

Tab Order

Assistive software determines how to present and interpret the content of the document by using the logical structure tree. Most assistive software depends on document structure tags to determine the appropriate reading order of text. Document structure tags let assistive software convey the meaning of images and other content in an alternate format, such as sound. An untagged document does not have structure information, and Acrobat must infer a structure based on the Reading Order preference setting. This situation often results in page items being read in the wrong order or not at all.

This feature can improve navigation of form fields and links in properly authored (tagged) documents that don't specify a tab order.

Summary table
bUseStructTabOrder Specifies whether to use the PDF document structure for determining the tab order.
Supported on WindowsSupported on MacSupported by AcrobatSupported by Adobe Reader
Data type boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default 1
Version # 7.x+
HKCU Path Access
HKLM Path Not lockable
Summary Specifies whether to use the PDF document structure for determining the tab order.
Details Possible values include:
  • 0: Don't use document structure.
  • 1: Use document structure.
GUI mapping Preferences > Access > Tab Order > Use document structure for tab order. . .

Accessibility Options

Summary table
bEnableAT Toggles assistive technology on and off.
bShowKeyboardSelectionCursor Specifies whether the keyboard selection cursor should always be active in the document.
bUseDetailsNavigator Specifies whether to show portfolio component files and file details in an accessible list.
bUseSystemSelectionColor Specifies whether the default selection color (blue) is overridden with a color that the system specifies.
Supported on WindowsSupported on MacSupported by AcrobatSupported by Adobe Reader
Data type boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default 1
Version # 11.0.04+
HKCU Path Access
HKLM Path Not lockable
Summary Toggles assistive technology on and off.
Details This preference enables certain workflows when assistive technology such as JAWS is detected. When enabled, a dialog appears in workflows where accessibility might be improved. For example, when processing untagged documents, the user is asked if they would like to use the setup assistant. When processing scanned images, a prompt asks if OCR should run. Possible values include:
  • 0: Don't enable assistive technology.
  • 1: Enable assistive technology.
GUI mapping Edit > Preferences > Accessibility > Enable assistive technology support
Supported on WindowsSupported on MacSupported by AcrobatSupported by Adobe Reader
Data type boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default 0
Version # 9.0+
HKCU Path Access
HKLM Path Not lockable
Summary Specifies whether the keyboard selection cursor should always be active in the document.
Details Select this option if you use a screen magnifier. Possible values include:
  • 0: Don't show the cursor.
  • 1: Always show the cursor.
GUI mapping Preferences > Access > Other Accessibility Options > Always display the keyboard selection cursor
Supported on WindowsSupported on MacSupported by AcrobatSupported by Adobe Reader
Data type boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default 0
Version # 9.0+
HKCU Path Access
HKLM Path Not lockable
Summary Specifies whether the default selection color (blue) is overridden with a color that the system specifies.
Details Possible values include:
  • 0: Don't use the system selection color.
  • 1: Use the system selection color.
GUI mapping Preferences > Access > Other Accessibility Options > Always use the system selection color
Supported on WindowsSupported on MacSupported by AcrobatSupported by Adobe Reader
Data type boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default 0
Version # 9.0+
HKCU Path Access
HKLM Path Not lockable
Summary Specifies whether to show portfolio component files and file details in an accessible list.
Details This preference replaces bUsePlatformNavigator. Files mode provides a better reading experience for people with disabilities such as mobility impairments, blindness, and low vision. Possible values include:
  • 0: Don't show portfolio components in a list.
  • 1: Do show portfolio components in a list.
GUI mapping Preferences > Access > Other Accessibility Options > Show portfolios in files mode.