Manually adding tags in Acrobat, but they don't show up in the order panel

Hi all, 

 

I'm adding tags manually to a pdf but they don't show up in the order panel. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling. If I auto-tag they do show up, but the auto-tag is not something I can use because they need to be adjusted/modified.

By cat language translator app @katielady1

Hi there!

That sounds frustrating when you're putting in the effort to manually tag, but they aren't appearing as expected in the order panel. Let's see if we can figure out what's going on.

Just to clarify, when you say the tags don't show up in the "order panel," are you referring to the Tags panel in Adobe Acrobat (or whichever PDF editor you're using)? The order panel usually refers to the reading order, which is often derived from the tag structure.

Here are a few things that might be happening and some steps you can try:

Panel Visibility: It might sound simple, but double-check if the Tags panel is actually open and visible. Sometimes panels can get hidden or undocked. Look for it in the View menu under "Show/Hide" or "Panels."

Tag Creation Location: When you're manually adding tags, are you doing it within the Tags panel itself? You typically need to select a parent tag (like <Document>) and then create child tags (like <P>, <H1>, etc.) within that structure. If you're trying to add tags by just drawing boxes on the page, that won't create the structural tags needed for accessibility and the order panel.

Refresh the Panel: Sometimes, the panel might not update immediately. Try closing and reopening the Tags panel to see if your manually added tags appear.

Parent Tag Structure: Ensure that your manually created tags are nested correctly within the tag tree. They should fall under the main <Document> tag and then be organized logically (e.g., headings under a <Div> or directly under <Document>, paragraphs under <P>, etc.). If they are floating outside the main structure, they might not be recognized correctly.

Role Mapping (if applicable): If you're using custom tags or elements, you might need to ensure they are properly mapped to standard PDF accessibility roles. This is usually done within the Tags panel options. However, for basic tags like <P> and <H1>, this shouldn't be necessary.

Software Version: While you've reinstalled, could you let me know which PDF editor you are using (e.g., Adobe Acrobat Pro, Standard, a different program)? Sometimes specific versions can have quirks.

Corrupted Document: It's a less likely scenario since auto-tagging works, but there's a slight possibility the PDF itself has some underlying issue. You could try saving the PDF under a new name and then trying to manually tag in the new version.