Create Tagged PDF in Java

Creating a tagged PDF means adding structure elements that make the document easier to validate against PDF/UA accessibility requirements and easier for assistive technologies to interpret.

Create a simple tagged PDF document

Use this example when you need a minimal tagged PDF with a heading and paragraph in the logical structure tree.

Create a new PDF Document and get its ITaggedContent.
Set the document title and language, then create the required header and paragraph elements.
Append the structure elements to the root element and save the document.

public static void createTaggedPdfDocumentSimple(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        ITaggedContent taggedContent = document.getTaggedContent();
        StructureElement rootElement = taggedContent.getRootElement();

        taggedContent.setTitle("Tagged Pdf Document");
        taggedContent.setLanguage("en-US");

        HeaderElement mainHeader = taggedContent.createHeaderElement();
        mainHeader.setText("Main Header");

        ParagraphElement paragraphElement = taggedContent.createParagraphElement();
        paragraphElement.setText("Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. "
                + "Aenean nec lectus ac sem faucibus imperdiet. Sed ut erat ac magna ullamcorper hendrerit. "
                + "Cras pellentesque libero semper, gravida magna sed, luctus leo.");

        rootElement.appendChild(mainHeader, true);
        rootElement.appendChild(paragraphElement, true);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create an advanced tagged PDF document

This example builds a richer structure by mixing headings, paragraphs, spans, quotes, and explicit layout settings.

Create a new PDF Document and initialize tagged content metadata.
Build the heading and paragraph structure, then add spans and a quote element inside the paragraph.
Adjust paragraph position, append the elements to the root structure, and save the document.

public static void createTaggedPdfDocumentAdv(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        ITaggedContent taggedContent = document.getTaggedContent();
        StructureElement rootElement = taggedContent.getRootElement();

        taggedContent.setTitle("Tagged Pdf Document");
        taggedContent.setLanguage("en-US");

        HeaderElement header1 = taggedContent.createHeaderElement(1);
        header1.setText("Header Level 1");

        ParagraphElement paragraphWithQuotes = taggedContent.createParagraphElement();
        paragraphWithQuotes.getStructureTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));

        PositionSettings positionSettings = new PositionSettings();
        positionSettings.setMargin(new MarginInfo(10, 5, 10, 5));
        paragraphWithQuotes.adjustPosition(positionSettings);

        SpanElement spanElement1 = taggedContent.createSpanElement();
        spanElement1.setText("Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. "
                + "Aenean nec lectus ac sem faucibus imperdiet. Sed ut erat ac magna ullamcorper hendrerit. ");

        QuoteElement quoteElement = taggedContent.createQuoteElement();
        quoteElement.setText("Sed vulputate, quam sed lacinia luctus, ipsum nibh fringilla purus.");
        quoteElement.getStructureTextState().setFontStyle(Nullable.of(FontStyles.Bold | FontStyles.Italic));

        SpanElement spanElement2 = taggedContent.createSpanElement();
        spanElement2.setText(" Sed non consectetur elit.");

        paragraphWithQuotes.appendChild(spanElement1, true);
        paragraphWithQuotes.appendChild(quoteElement, true);
        paragraphWithQuotes.appendChild(spanElement2, true);

        rootElement.appendChild(header1, true);
        rootElement.appendChild(paragraphWithQuotes, true);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Add text style to tagged content

Use this example when tagged paragraph content should carry explicit font, color, and style information.

Create a new tagged PDF Document.
Create a paragraph element and configure its structure text state.
Set the paragraph text and save the document.

public static void addStyle(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        ITaggedContent taggedContent = document.getTaggedContent();

        taggedContent.setTitle("Tagged Pdf Document");
        taggedContent.setLanguage("en-US");

        ParagraphElement paragraphElement = taggedContent.createParagraphElement();
        taggedContent.getRootElement().appendChild(paragraphElement, true);

        paragraphElement.getStructureTextState().setFontSize(Nullable.of(18.0f));
        paragraphElement.getStructureTextState().setForegroundColor(Color.getRed());
        paragraphElement.getStructureTextState().setFontStyle(Nullable.of(FontStyles.Italic));
        paragraphElement.setText("Red italic text.");

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Add figure structure elements

This example shows how to create a tagged figure with alternative text, title, custom tag, image content, and positioning.

Create a new tagged PDF Document.
Create a FigureElement, set its accessible metadata, and assign the image.
Adjust the figure position and save the document.

public static void illustrateStructureElements(Path imageFile, Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        ITaggedContent taggedContent = document.getTaggedContent();

        taggedContent.setTitle("Tagged Pdf Document");
        taggedContent.setLanguage("en-US");

        FigureElement figure1 = taggedContent.createFigureElement();
        taggedContent.getRootElement().appendChild(figure1, true);
        figure1.setAlternativeText("Figure One");
        figure1.setTitle("Image 1");
        figure1.setTag("Fig1");
        figure1.setImage(imageFile.toString(), 300);

        PositionSettings positionSettings = new PositionSettings();
        MarginInfo marginInfo = new MarginInfo();
        marginInfo.setLeft(50);
        marginInfo.setTop(20);
        positionSettings.setMargin(marginInfo);
        figure1.adjustPosition(positionSettings);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Validate a tagged PDF for PDF/UA

Use this example when you need to check whether a tagged PDF satisfies PDF/UA validation rules.

Open the source PDF Document.
Run validation against PdfFormat.PDF_UA_1.
Write the validation log and print the validation result.

public static void validateTaggedPdf(Path inputFile, Path logFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document(inputFile.toString())) {
        boolean isValid = document.validate(logFile.toString(), PdfFormat.PDF_UA_1);
        System.out.println("Is Valid: " + isValid);
    }
}

Adjust structure element position

This example applies explicit margin and alignment settings to a tagged paragraph.

Create a new tagged PDF Document.
Add a paragraph structure element and prepare PositionSettings.
Apply the position settings to the paragraph and save the document.

public static void adjustPosition(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        ITaggedContent taggedContent = document.getTaggedContent();

        taggedContent.setTitle("Tagged Pdf Document");
        taggedContent.setLanguage("en-US");

        ParagraphElement paragraph = taggedContent.createParagraphElement();
        taggedContent.getRootElement().appendChild(paragraph, true);
        paragraph.setText("Text.");

        PositionSettings positionSettings = new PositionSettings();
        MarginInfo marginInfo = new MarginInfo();
        marginInfo.setLeft(300);
        marginInfo.setTop(20);
        marginInfo.setRight(0);
        marginInfo.setBottom(0);
        positionSettings.setMargin(marginInfo);
        positionSettings.setHorizontalAlignment(HorizontalAlignment.None);
        positionSettings.setVerticalAlignment(VerticalAlignment.None);
        positionSettings.setFirstParagraphInColumn(false);
        positionSettings.setKeptWithNext(false);
        positionSettings.setInNewPage(false);
        positionSettings.setInLineParagraph(false);
        paragraph.adjustPosition(positionSettings);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Convert an existing PDF to PDF/UA with automatic tagging

Use this approach when an existing PDF should be converted to PDF/UA and tagged automatically during conversion.

Open the source PDF Document.
Create PdfFormatConversionOptions and enable automatic tagging.
Run the conversion and save the output document.

public static void convertToPdfUaWithAutomaticTagging(Path inputFile, Path outputFile, Path logFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document(inputFile.toString())) {
        PdfFormatConversionOptions options = new PdfFormatConversionOptions(
                logFile.toString(), PdfFormat.PDF_UA_1, ConvertErrorAction.Delete);

        AutoTaggingSettings autoTaggingSettings = new AutoTaggingSettings();
        autoTaggingSettings.setEnableAutoTagging(true);
        autoTaggingSettings.setHeadingRecognitionStrategy(HeadingRecognitionStrategy.Auto);
        options.setAutoTaggingSettings(autoTaggingSettings);

        document.convert(options);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create a tagged PDF with an accessible form field

This example tags a signature form field so it becomes part of the logical structure tree.

Create a new PDF Document and add a page with a form field.
Add the form field to the document form collection.
Create a tagged form structure element, associate it with the field, and save the document.

public static void createPdfWithTaggedFormField(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();
        ITaggedContent taggedContent = document.getTaggedContent();
        StructureElement rootElement = taggedContent.getRootElement();

        SignatureField signatureField = new SignatureField(page, new Rectangle(50, 50, 100, 100, true));
        signatureField.setPartialName("Signature1");
        signatureField.setAlternateName("signature 1");

        Form formFields = document.getForm();
        formFields.add(signatureField);

        FormElement form = taggedContent.createFormElement();
        form.setAlternativeText("form 1");
        form.tag(signatureField);
        rootElement.appendChild(form, true);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create a tagged PDF with a TOC page

Use this example when a tagged PDF should include a basic table-of-contents page linked to document headings.

Create a new tagged PDF Document and add a TOC page.
Create the TOCElement and a header that should appear in the TOC.
Link the TOC entry to the heading and save the document.

public static void createPdfWithTocPage(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        ITaggedContent content = document.getTaggedContent();
        StructureElement rootElement = content.getRootElement();
        content.setLanguage("en-US");

        Page tocPage = document.getPages().add();
        tocPage.setTocInfo(new TocInfo());

        TOCElement tocElement = content.createTOCElement();
        rootElement.appendChild(tocElement, true);

        document.getPages().add();

        HeaderElement header = content.createHeaderElement(1);
        header.setText("1. Header");
        rootElement.appendChild(header, true);

        TOCIElement toci = content.createTOCIElement();
        tocElement.appendChild(toci, true);
        header.addEntryToTocPage(tocPage, toci);
        toci.addRef(header);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create an advanced tagged PDF with a TOC page

This example builds a more complex tagged TOC with linked page titles, nested list items, and multiple heading levels.

Create a new tagged PDF Document and prepare a TOC page with a visible title.
Create the TOC structure, link the TOC title and entries to headings and list items, and add the related content elements.
Save the final document with the advanced TOC structure.

public static void createPdfWithTocPageAdvanced(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        ITaggedContent content = document.getTaggedContent();
        StructureElement rootElement = content.getRootElement();
        content.setLanguage("en-US");

        Page tocPage = document.getPages().add();
        tocPage.setTocInfo(new TocInfo());
        tocPage.getTocInfo().setTitle(new TextFragment("Table of Contents"));

        TOCElement tocElement = content.createTOCElement();
        HeaderElement headerForTocPageTitle = content.createHeaderElement(1);
        tocElement.linkTocPageTitleToHeaderElement(tocPage, headerForTocPageTitle);

        rootElement.appendChild(headerForTocPageTitle, true);
        rootElement.appendChild(tocElement, true);

        document.getPages().add();

        HeaderElement header = content.createHeaderElement(1);
        header.setText("1. Header");
        rootElement.appendChild(header, true);

        TOCIElement toci = content.createTOCIElement();
        tocElement.appendChild(toci, true);
        header.addEntryToTocPage(tocPage, toci);
        toci.addRef(header);

        ListElement listElement = content.createListElement();
        for (int i = 1; i < 4; i++) {
            ListLIElement li = content.createListLIElement();
            listElement.appendChild(li, true);

            HeaderElement subHeader = content.createHeaderElement(2);
            subHeader.getStructureTextState().setFontSize(Nullable.of(14.0f));
            subHeader.setLanguage("en-US");
            subHeader.setText("1." + i + " subheader ");
            subHeader.addEntryToTocPage(tocPage, li);
            li.addRef(subHeader);

            ParagraphElement p = content.createParagraphElement();
            p.setText("Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.");
            p.setLanguage("en-US");

            rootElement.appendChild(subHeader, true);
            rootElement.appendChild(p, true);
        }
        toci.appendChild(listElement, true);

        HeaderElement header2 = content.createHeaderElement(1);
        header2.setText("2. Header");
        rootElement.appendChild(header2, true);

        TOCIElement toci2 = content.createTOCIElement();
        tocElement.appendChild(toci2, true);
        header2.addEntryToTocPage(tocPage, toci2);
        toci2.addRef(header2);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Extract Tagged Content from PDFs in Java