An inserted image hides the original wording

Content remaining in a file is different from content remaining readable. Compare the same opaque image placed over the date and in unused space.

Start with the problem

Symptom: A new image hides a date, paragraph or photo, or an overlap warning prevents immediate download.
Main cause: The image sits above existing content. Text can still extract while being unreadable on the page, and overlap checks can miss thin lines or translucent areas.
What to do now: In the output review, choose Return to adjust placement, select the image and adjust X, Y and width. Review again and compare the original wording and artwork. If overlap is intentional, acknowledge it in the warning before downloading. Inspect every output page even when no warning appears.

Moving the image reveals the date line again

The source and opaque image are identical; only Y changes from 40 to 220 mm. Both views enlarge the same date-and-reference region at the same scale.

Overlapping placement · wording hidden. The image sits over the date and reference. This is not a recommended default placement. — **Overlapping placement · wording hidden**
The image sits over the date and reference. This is not a recommended default placement.

Moved placement · wording visible again. The same image moves to lower unused space, revealing the date and reference. — **Moved placement · wording visible again**
The same image moves to lower unused space, revealing the date and reference.

Actual PDF crops: same region, 216 dpi. Select an image to open the full PDF.

What changed

Delivery date: 2026-10-22 and SAMPLE-4821 become visible after the move. The original text remained in the data of both PDFs.

Why it matters

Searchable wording is not necessarily readable on the page. A successful download can still contain an image that hides necessary information.

What to do

Select the image, adjust X, Y and width, then reopen the output review. Acknowledge only intentional overlap and compare the original text and artwork even when no warning appears.

Compare full pages and open the original PDFs

Measured observations

Item	Input / reference	Observed output
Covered position	X 12 / Y 40 mm	Date extracts but is covered
Moved position	X 12 / Y 220 mm	Original extracted text unchanged

These observations apply to these specimens, not every PDF or reader.

Reproduction conditions

We placed an original opaque PNG over a date and reference number. Both outputs use the same source and image, with different positions. The covered output illustrates intentional overlap, not a recommended default placement.

Checks and export behavior

Engine outputs and the browser warning flow are tested separately. The browser warns that original text or artwork may be hidden and disables download until acknowledgement. Intentional overlap is allowed; moving the image to unused space clears this particular warning. The original date remains extractable in both files.

Fix the placement

Compare the date in the source and covered output.
Select the image and adjust X, Y or width, or try finding a free position.
Review every output page, including the boundaries of old and new artwork.
For explanations, prefer margins or a separate guide page.

Detection limits

Checks use text bounds and a low-resolution render of photos, vectors and scans, with PNG transparency. Fine lines, translucency and subtle backgrounds may be missed. No warning is not a safety guarantee. The download-gate test uses browser automation; physical dragging and OS clipboard testing are separate.

Files to inspect yourself

Independent observations and method (JSON) · Authorship and file hashes

Crop coordinates, scale, source hashes and fresh extraction · Rechecked: 2026-10-24 · pdftoppm version 26.07.0 · pypdf 6.10.0 · pdfplumber 0.11.9. Original PDFs were not modified.

Environment, date and evidence boundaries

Checked: 2026-10-23 · Windows / Chrome 155 · pdf-lib 1.17.1 · PDF.js 6.4.299 · fontkit 1.1.1 · pypdf 6.10.0 · pdftoppm version 26.07.0. PDFs and artwork are original; NanumGothic uses OFL-1.1. Tables and files record direct observations; explanations interpret those structures. Physical OS keyboard input, phones and every PDF reader are outside this test.

Reproduction code: scripts/lab-inputs.py, lab-outputs.mjs, lab-derived.py, tests/readiness-browser.mjs and tests/lab-pdf.py.

Keep this guide handy

Keep the guide address or share it with someone who needs these instructions. It contains no personal PDF or editable project.

Public guide address