ARIA Labels in Adobe InDesign: A Practical Accessibility Guide

Creating an attractive publication is only part of professional document design. Increasingly, designers also need to consider whether their content can be understood and navigated by people using assistive technologies.

Adobe InDesign has been expanding its accessibility capabilities, including improved support for accessible EPUB production and ARIA labeling.

ARIA labels can provide meaningful descriptions for interactive elements so that assistive technologies such as screen readers can communicate their purpose to users.

But what exactly is an ARIA label? When should you use one in Adobe InDesign? And how does it differ from alternative text?

This practical guide explains how ARIA labels fit into an accessible InDesign workflow and how to use them effectively without making accessibility unnecessarily complicated.

Adobe InDesign combines professional page-layout and publishing tools with an expanding collection of accessibility features for creating more inclusive digital publications.

What Is an ARIA Label?

ARIA stands for:

Accessible Rich Internet Applications.

ARIA is a collection of accessibility attributes originally developed to help make web applications and interactive digital content easier for assistive technologies to understand.

An ARIA label provides an accessible name or description for an element when its purpose might otherwise be unclear.

Consider an interface containing a button represented only by a magnifying-glass icon.

A sighted user may immediately understand that the icon means:

Search

But a screen reader needs a programmatically available description.

An ARIA label can identify that control as:

Search

The user doesn’t necessarily see the label visually.

Instead, assistive technology uses it to communicate what the element does.

What Are ARIA Labels in Adobe InDesign?

InDesign’s ARIA-label support is particularly relevant when creating accessible EPUB publications containing interactive elements.

Adobe has introduced the ability to assign custom ARIA labels to elements such as buttons and forms through InDesign’s accessibility-related workflow.

When the document is exported to EPUB, the accessibility information can be included in the resulting markup.

This means an interactive element that may otherwise be ambiguous to a screen reader can have a meaningful accessible name.

For example, a button displaying only an arrow might visually indicate that the reader should move forward.

Its ARIA label could be:

Next chapter

A screen reader can then communicate that function instead of merely encountering an unexplained graphical control.

Why Do ARIA Labels Matter?

Imagine opening a digital publication and seeing the following controls:

Home icon
Magnifying glass
Arrow
Shopping-cart icon
Download symbol

For a sighted reader, their purpose may be obvious from the visual design.

For someone using a screen reader, however, the visual symbol itself may not provide enough usable information.

Without an accessible name, the screen reader might announce something vague or potentially provide no useful explanation at all.

ARIA labels help bridge that gap.

Instead of:

Button

the user might hear:

Download report, button

That’s a considerably better experience.

Accessibility is ultimately about ensuring that meaning isn’t available exclusively through visual presentation.

ARIA Labels vs Alt Text

This is one of the most important distinctions to understand.

ARIA labels and alternative text are related to accessibility, but they don’t necessarily solve the same problem.

Alt text describes content

Alternative text is commonly used to communicate the meaning or purpose of an image.

For example, imagine a photograph showing a designer working on a magazine layout.

Appropriate alt text might be:

Designer editing a magazine layout on a desktop computer.

The purpose is to provide an equivalent description for someone who cannot see the image.

ARIA labels identify elements or controls

An ARIA label is commonly used to give an accessible name to an interface or interactive element.

For example:

Open navigation menu

or:

Download annual report

The distinction can therefore be summarized as:

Alt text: What does this image communicate?

ARIA label: What is this element or what does it do?

There can be more complexity in real-world accessibility implementations, but this is a useful starting point for InDesign users.

Don’t Use ARIA Labels as a Replacement for Alt Text

Because both involve accessibility descriptions, it’s tempting to treat them as interchangeable.

Don’t.

If an image conveys meaningful information, it may require appropriate alternative text.

If an interactive element requires an accessible name, an ARIA label may be appropriate.

The accessibility requirement should determine the technique.

This is why accessibility works best when considered during document design rather than being added as a last-minute export task.

Where Are ARIA Labels Used in InDesign?

ARIA labeling is particularly relevant to interactive digital publications exported from InDesign.

Examples can include:

Buttons
Form controls
Navigation controls
Interactive elements
Icon-based controls

Consider an EPUB containing custom navigation.

You might have buttons for:

Previous page

Next page

Return to contents

Open glossary

If those controls are represented primarily by icons, their visual appearance alone isn’t sufficient for accessible navigation.

Meaningful labels help screen-reader users understand their functions.

How to Add an ARIA Label in Adobe InDesign

Adobe has integrated ARIA labeling into InDesign’s Object Export Options workflow.

The exact interface can change as Adobe continues developing InDesign, but the general process is straightforward.

Step 1: Select the interactive element

Select the button, form control, or relevant interactive object in your InDesign document.

Before adding any accessibility information, ask yourself:

What does this control actually do?

That answer will determine the label.

Step 2: Open Object Export Options

With the object selected, open:

Object > Object Export Options

Object Export Options is already important in accessible publishing because it allows you to define information associated with exported objects.

Step 3: Find the EPUB accessibility options

Navigate to the EPUB-related accessibility settings available for the selected object.

In supported InDesign versions, Adobe provides a field for assigning an ARIA label.

Step 4: Enter a meaningful label

Enter a concise description of the element’s function.

For example:

Next chapter

Rather than:

Arrow button

The first describes what the button does.

The second merely describes what it looks like.

For accessibility, function is usually more useful.

Step 5: Export your EPUB

Export the publication using the appropriate EPUB settings.

InDesign can include the accessibility information in the exported document.

Step 6: Test the exported publication

Never assume that adding an accessibility attribute means the resulting EPUB is accessible.

Test it.

Accessibility needs to be evaluated in the final exported document, not merely inside the InDesign source file.

How to Write Good ARIA Labels

Adding a label is easy.

Writing a useful label requires more thought.

The best labels are generally:

Concise

Specific

Functional

Contextual

Consider these examples.

Poor

Button

Better

Download

Best

Download product catalog

The third example communicates both the action and its target.

Another example:

Poor

Arrow

Better

Next

Best

Next chapter

The label should help the user understand what will happen when the control is activated.

Describe the Function, Not the Appearance

This is one of the most useful rules for designers.

Visual designers naturally think in visual terms.

You may look at an object and think:

Blue circular arrow

But that’s rarely what the screen-reader user needs to know.

They need to know:

Return to previous page

The same principle applies to other controls.

Instead of:

House icon

use:

Home

Instead of:

Magnifying glass

use:

Search

Instead of:

Down arrow

use:

Download report

Instead of:

Shopping-cart symbol

use:

View shopping cart

Accessibility descriptions should communicate meaning and function, not merely appearance.

Keep ARIA Labels Concise

More information isn’t automatically better.

Screen-reader users may encounter many controls while navigating a publication.

Imagine every button having a 30-word description.

The experience would quickly become frustrating.

Instead of:

Click this button if you would like to continue to the next chapter of this digital publication.

use:

Next chapter

Short labels usually make navigation faster and easier.

Make Labels Unique Where Necessary

Imagine a publication containing three buttons labeled:

Download

Technically, each button has an accessible name.

But what does each one download?

Better labels might be:

Download pricing guide

Download product catalog

Download technical specifications

Context matters.

A good accessible label should help users distinguish controls from one another.

Avoid Unnecessary Words

Screen readers already communicate certain information about controls.

For example, if the accessibility structure identifies something as a button, you usually don’t need to include the word “button” in the accessible name.

Instead of:

Download catalog button

prefer:

Download catalog

The assistive technology can communicate the control type separately.

This keeps labels cleaner.

Don’t Put Instructions Inside Every Label

ARIA labels aren’t the place for lengthy operating instructions.

Avoid something like:

Press this button to open the navigation menu where you can choose another chapter.

Use:

Open navigation menu

If users require additional instructions, provide them appropriately elsewhere.

Use Consistent Terminology

Consistency is extremely important in larger publications.

If one control says:

Next chapter

don’t label an identical control elsewhere:

Continue forward

unless there is a meaningful reason for the difference.

Create a small vocabulary for recurring controls.

For example:

Previous chapter
Next chapter
Table of contents
Search
Home
Download
Close
Play
Pause

Consistent language reduces cognitive load.

ARIA Labels for Icon-Only Buttons

Icon-only buttons are one of the clearest use cases.

Modern digital design often favors minimal interfaces.

Instead of displaying:

Search

the interface might show only a magnifying glass.

Instead of:

Home

it might display a house.

Instead of:

Menu

it might show three horizontal lines.

These designs can be visually elegant.

But the interface shouldn’t depend entirely on users seeing and interpreting the icon.

ARIA labels provide the missing semantic information.

Example: Accessible Navigation

Imagine an interactive EPUB containing five icon buttons:

Visual control	Suggested ARIA label
House icon	Home
Left arrow	Previous chapter
Right arrow	Next chapter
Magnifying glass	Search
X icon	Close

Notice that the labels don’t describe the artwork.

They describe the function.

That’s the objective.

Example: Download Controls

Suppose a digital product catalog contains several downloadable resources.

Weak implementation:

Download

Better implementation:

Download product brochure

Download technical specifications

Download installation guide

The user can now understand the purpose of each control without relying on nearby visual context.

Example: Interactive Learning Material

Educational EPUBs can contain interactive activities.

Controls might include:

Play audio
Pause audio
Show answer
Hide answer
Restart exercise
Next question
Previous question

Meaningful accessible labels can make those interactions substantially easier to understand.

ARIA Labels and Accessible EPUB

ARIA labeling should be viewed as one component of a much broader accessible EPUB workflow.

A publication can contain excellent ARIA labels and still have serious accessibility problems.

Accessible EPUB production also requires attention to:

Document structure
Heading hierarchy
Reading order
Alternative text
Language metadata
Table accessibility
Link text
Navigation
Semantic structure
Color contrast
Keyboard interaction
Media accessibility

Accessibility isn’t a single checkbox.

It’s a system

How to Create More Accessible EPUBs with Adobe InDesign

ARIA Labels and Reading Order

ARIA labels don’t correct reading-order problems.

These are separate accessibility concerns.

Reading order determines how assistive technology moves through document content.

ARIA labeling helps identify particular elements.

You need to consider both.

For example, a perfectly labeled button can still be frustrating if it appears in an illogical location in the accessibility reading sequence.

This is why accessible document production needs to be approached holistically.

ARIA Labels and AI-Generated Alt Text

Modern InDesign workflows increasingly combine traditional accessibility techniques with AI-assisted capabilities.

Adobe can generate alternative text for images using AI.

That can accelerate the process of creating initial image descriptions.

ARIA labels solve a different accessibility problem.

A practical workflow might therefore include:

AI-generated alt text

for meaningful images,

and:

carefully written ARIA labels

for interactive controls.

The two techniques complement each other

How to Generate Alt Text with AI in Adobe InDesign

Can AI Generate ARIA Labels?

AI can certainly help suggest concise labels for interactive elements, but don’t automatically assume generated labels are correct.

AI may understand that an icon looks like an arrow.

It may not understand that the arrow means:

Return to product overview

rather than:

Previous page

The document designer understands the intended interaction.

That’s why human review remains important.

A sensible workflow could be:

Designer defines function → AI suggests label → designer reviews → InDesign exports accessibility metadata.

AI can accelerate the process without replacing accessibility judgment.

Common ARIA Label Mistakes

Several mistakes are worth avoiding.

Mistake 1: Describing appearance

Bad:

Green arrow

Better:

Continue

Mistake 2: Being too vague

Bad:

Open

Better:

Open product details

Mistake 3: Writing too much

Bad:

Click this button to return to the main table of contents for this publication.

Better:

Table of contents

Mistake 4: Repeating the control type

Bad:

Search button

Better:

Search

Mistake 5: Using identical labels for different actions

Bad:

Download

Better:

Download brochure

Download price list

Download specifications

Mistake 6: Assuming ARIA fixes everything

Adding ARIA labels doesn’t automatically make an EPUB accessible.

Accessibility must be considered throughout the entire publication.

Don’t Add ARIA Unnecessarily

ARIA is useful, but more ARIA doesn’t automatically mean better accessibility.

One of the broader principles of accessible digital design is to use appropriate native semantics whenever they already communicate the necessary information.

ARIA should solve a genuine accessibility problem.

Don’t add labels merely because the field exists.

Ask:

Does assistive technology already have a meaningful accessible name for this element?

If yes, additional labeling may be unnecessary.

If no, an ARIA label may provide important context.

Accessibility Should Begin Before Export

A common mistake is treating accessibility as something that happens during PDF or EPUB export.

By then, many accessibility decisions have already been made.

Accessibility begins when you decide:

How headings are structured
How content is ordered
How links are written
How images are described
How interactive elements behave
How colors are used
How navigation works

InDesign’s accessibility features then help preserve and communicate those decisions in the exported publication.

Build Accessibility Into Your InDesign Templates

If your organization produces recurring publications, don’t solve the same accessibility problems every time.

Build accessibility into the template.

For example, establish:

Accessible paragraph styles
Heading structures
Image-description workflows
Reading-order conventions
Standard navigation controls
ARIA-label conventions
Export presets
Accessibility QA procedures

This turns accessibility from a last-minute repair exercise into part of normal publishing production.

For organizations creating large volumes of content, this can save considerable time.

Create an ARIA Labeling Standard

Teams producing interactive EPUBs should consider maintaining a small internal labeling guide.

For example:

Function	Standard label
Return home	Home
Previous section	Previous chapter
Next section	Next chapter
Open navigation	Open navigation menu
Close overlay	Close
Start media	Play
Stop media	Pause
Download brochure	Download brochure

The objective isn’t to make every publication identical.

It’s to eliminate unnecessary inconsistency.

Test with a Screen Reader

One of the best ways to understand accessibility is to experience the publication using assistive technology.

Don’t evaluate labels only by reading them visually inside InDesign.

Test the exported EPUB.

Listen to how controls are announced.

Ask:

Is the label understandable?
Is it concise?
Does it describe the function?
Is the sequence logical?
Can I distinguish similar controls?
Do I understand what will happen?
Is anything unnecessarily repetitive?

This often reveals problems that aren’t obvious from the visual layout.

Validate the EPUB

Screen-reader testing is important, but it should be combined with technical validation.

Use appropriate EPUB accessibility and validation tools to identify structural or metadata problems.

Automated tools can detect certain errors.

Human testing identifies usability problems.

You need both.

A useful accessibility QA process therefore looks like:

Design → Export → Validate → Test → Correct → Retest

rather than:

Design → Export → Publish

An InDesign Accessibility Checklist

Before publishing an accessible digital document, review more than just ARIA labels.

Document structure

Are headings structured logically?
Is the document language defined?
Is reading order sensible?
Are paragraph styles used consistently?

Images

Do meaningful images have appropriate alt text?
Are decorative images handled correctly?
Have AI-generated descriptions been reviewed?

Interactive elements

Do controls have meaningful accessible names?
Are ARIA labels concise?
Do labels describe functions rather than appearances?
Are repeated controls labeled consistently?

Navigation

Can users understand where links lead?
Is navigation predictable?
Are controls logically ordered?

Visual accessibility

Is text readable?
Is color contrast sufficient?
Is information communicated by more than color alone?

Testing

Has the exported EPUB been validated?
Has it been tested with assistive technology?
Have identified issues been corrected?

Accessibility requires all of these pieces to work together.

Why Accessibility Matters More in 2026

Digital accessibility is becoming increasingly important for publishers, businesses, educational institutions, governments, and online retailers.

Regulatory requirements are part of that change, but compliance shouldn’t be the only motivation.

Accessible publishing expands the audience that can successfully use your content.

Good accessibility can benefit people with:

Visual impairments
Motor impairments
Cognitive disabilities
Temporary impairments
Age-related limitations

And many accessibility practices improve usability for everyone.

Clear navigation is useful.

Meaningful link text is useful.

Logical structure is useful.

Consistent controls are useful.

Accessibility and good design frequently reinforce each other.

Adobe InDesign’s Growing Accessibility Toolkit

InDesign is increasingly providing designers with tools that make accessibility easier to integrate into professional publishing workflows.

Depending on the publication and version of InDesign, accessibility-related capabilities can include areas such as:

Alternative text
AI-assisted alt-text generation
Reading-order management
Tagged content
EPUB semantics
ARIA labels
Accessible PDF workflows
Document structure

The technology is improving, but the designer still determines how effectively it is used

If you want to build professional print and digital publications with modern accessibility tools, you can get Adobe InDesign directly from Adobe and explore its latest publishing features.

Frequently Asked Questions About ARIA Labels in InDesign

What does ARIA stand for?

ARIA stands for Accessible Rich Internet Applications. ARIA attributes help assistive technologies understand the role, state, or accessible name of digital interface elements.

Does Adobe InDesign support ARIA labels?

Current InDesign versions provide ARIA-label support for relevant interactive elements in EPUB accessibility workflows. Because Adobe continues to develop accessibility functionality, check the options available in your current InDesign release.

Where do I add an ARIA label in InDesign?

For supported objects, ARIA-label settings can be accessed through Object Export Options and the relevant EPUB accessibility settings.

What should an ARIA label say?

The label should generally describe the element’s function concisely.

For example:

Download catalog

is usually more useful than:

Blue download icon.

Is an ARIA label the same as alt text?

No. Alt text generally communicates the meaning or purpose of an image. ARIA labels commonly provide accessible names for interface or interactive elements.

Should every button have an ARIA label?

Every interactive control needs an accessible name, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should manually add an aria-label in every situation. If an appropriate accessible name already exists through the element’s content or semantics, an additional ARIA label may be unnecessary.

Can AI write ARIA labels?

AI can suggest labels, but the designer should verify that each label accurately communicates the control’s actual function and context.

Do ARIA labels make an EPUB accessible?

Not by themselves. Accessible EPUB production also requires appropriate structure, navigation, reading order, alternative text, semantics, and testing.

Should ARIA labels describe icons?

Usually, describe what the icon does, not simply what it looks like.

For example:

Search

is more useful than:

Magnifying-glass icon.

Final Thoughts

ARIA labels may seem like a small technical detail compared with typography, imagery, and page layout.

For someone using assistive technology, however, that small detail can determine whether an interactive control makes sense at all.

The central principle is straightforward:

Don’t describe what the user can already see. Communicate what the element means or does.

A right arrow might mean:

Next chapter.

A house might mean:

Home.

A magnifying glass might mean:

Search.

A downward arrow might mean:

Download product catalog.

ARIA labels allow that meaning to become available beyond the visual interface.

For InDesign designers, the broader lesson is equally important.

Accessibility isn’t separate from design.

It is part of design.

As Adobe continues expanding InDesign’s accessibility capabilities—from AI-generated alt text to ARIA labeling and improved digital publishing workflows—designers have increasingly powerful tools for creating publications that work for more people.

The tools, however, only provide the capability.

Accessible design decisions still come from the designer.

Create More Accessible Publications with Adobe InDesign

Adobe InDesign combines professional page layout, typography, digital publishing, and accessibility capabilities in a single production environment.

Explore Adobe InDesign and start creating professional print, EPUB, and digital publications with modern accessibility tools.

Continue Learning About InDesign Accessibility

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