What is Tagged PDF?
A tagged PDF carries a hidden structure tree (headings, paragraphs, lists, tables) that screen readers and automation tools use to understand reading order.
Tagging turns a visual PDF into a semantic document: each element is labeled with its role (H1, P, Figure, TD, etc.). Tagged PDFs are required by accessibility laws such as WCAG, Section 508, and the European Accessibility Act. They also dramatically improve PDF-to-Word and PDF-to-HTML conversion quality.
Also known as
- accessible PDF
- structured PDF
Related terms
- PDF/A — PDF/A is an ISO-standardized PDF variant designed for long-term archiving — all fonts and resources are embedded so the file renders identically forever.
- Reading Order — The logical sequence in which page content should be consumed — critical for screen readers, OCR output, and PDF-to-Word conversion.
Category: Accessibility