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FeaturesAccessibilityDocument Tagging

Document Tagging

Tags define the structure of your PDF, making it accessible to screen readers and assistive technologies.

What Are Tags?

Tags are invisible markers that describe the structure and purpose of content:

  • Headings (H1-H6): Define document hierarchy
  • Paragraphs (P): Regular text blocks
  • Lists (L, LI): Bulleted and numbered lists
  • Tables (Table, TR, TH, TD): Tabular data
  • Figures (Figure): Images and graphics
  • Links (Link): Hyperlinks

Adding Tags

Auto-Tag Document

Penvio can automatically detect and tag content:

Open the Accessibility Panel

Click Tools → Accessibility → Auto-Tag Document

Review Settings

Choose tagging options:

  • Detect headings by font size
  • Identify lists by formatting
  • Mark images as figures

Apply Tags

Click Apply to tag the document

Review Results

Check the tag tree to verify accuracy

Auto-tagging works best with well-structured documents. You may need to manually adjust some tags.

Manual Tagging

For precise control, tag content manually:

  1. Select the content to tag
  2. Right-click and choose Tag As…
  3. Select the appropriate tag type
  4. Confirm the tag

Tag Types

Structural Tags

TagPurposeExample
DocumentRoot containerEntire PDF
PartMajor sectionsChapters
SectSubsectionsChapter sections
DivGeneric containerGrouped content

Block-Level Tags

TagPurposeUse For
H1-H6HeadingsTitles, section headers
PParagraphBody text
LListContainer for list items
LIList ItemIndividual list entries
TableTableData tables
BlockQuoteQuoteExtended quotations

Inline Tags

TagPurposeExample
SpanGeneric inlineStyled text
LinkHyperlinkURLs, page links
QuoteInline quoteShort quotes
CodeCode textProgramming code

Special Tags

TagPurposeNotes
FigureImages/graphicsRequires alt text
FormulaMathematicalEquations, formulas
FormForm elementsInteractive fields
TOCTable of contentsNavigation
TOCITOC itemIndividual entries

Viewing the Tag Tree

To see all tags in your document:

  1. Click View → Navigation Panels → Tags
  2. Expand the tag tree
  3. Click a tag to highlight its content

Editing Tags

Change Tag Type

  1. Open the Tags panel
  2. Right-click a tag
  3. Select Properties
  4. Change the Type field
  5. Click OK

Reorder Tags

  1. In the Tags panel, drag a tag
  2. Drop it in the new position
  3. The reading order updates automatically

Delete Tags

  1. Select the tag in the Tags panel
  2. Press Delete or right-click → Delete
  3. Confirm deletion

Deleting a tag removes its accessibility information. The content remains in the document but becomes inaccessible to screen readers.

Heading Hierarchy

Proper heading structure is essential for navigation:

Good Structure

H1: Document Title
  H2: Chapter 1
    H3: Section 1.1
    H3: Section 1.2
  H2: Chapter 2
    H3: Section 2.1

Common Issues

  • Skipped levels: Don’t jump from H1 to H3
  • Missing H1: Every document needs a main heading
  • Decorative headings: Don’t use heading tags for styling

Validating Tags

After tagging, validate your structure:

  1. Click Tools → Accessibility → Check Accessibility
  2. Look for tagging-related issues:
    • Untagged content
    • Empty tags
    • Incorrect heading order
  3. Fix any issues found

Tips

  • Tag all content, including headers and footers
  • Use the most specific tag available
  • Keep heading hierarchy logical (H1 → H2 → H3)
  • Don’t use tags for visual styling
  • Review auto-tagged documents for accuracy

Next Steps

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OverviewReading Order