PDF How To: Add Tags
Why Add Tags?
Tags label each part of your PDF, headings, paragraphs, form fields, images, links, and tables, so assistive tools can make sense of your content. This helps people using screen readers follow the document in the right order and lets keyboard users move through it easily.
Word and InDesign can add these tags automatically when you export to PDF, and you can tweak them in Acrobat. Always double-check that every element is tagged and your document’s structure is correct.
Word
When you save a Word file as a tagged PDF, Word uses your built-in styles (like Heading 1, Paragraph, Lists, etc.) to create tags automatically, but it can only tag what you’ve styled correctly. Always open the PDF in Acrobat to check the tags. If you spot missing or incorrect tags, fix your styles in Word and export again, or clear the existing tags in Acrobat and add them by hand.
InDesign
InDesign can also add tags when you export (just check “Create Tagged PDF”), but it relies on your paragraph and object styles to decide what goes where. After export, open the PDF in Acrobat and review the tag structure. If many tags are wrong or missing, update your style-to-tag mappings in InDesign and re-export, or clear the page or section tags in Acrobat and retag manually.
Adobe Acrobat Pro
Acrobat can auto-tag your PDF, but it doesn’t always get it right. Always check your tags. If you see a lot of mistakes, it’s usually faster to clear the existing tags and add them yourself. You can remove tags from an entire page or just a selected section.
To Clear the Page Structure
- Right click or Cmd click on the name of any page.
- Select Clear page structure.
Using Touch Up Reading Order:
- Select the Menu.
- Select Clear page structure.
Additional Resources: