We are excited to announce that TX Text Control 34.0 will fully support the generation of tagged PDF documents that comply with the PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility) standard. This includes the ability to export accessible PDF/A documents that conform to PDF/A-3a, for example, which combines long-term archiving with accessibility features.

This important new feature helps developers create legally compliant and inclusive documents that meet the highest accessibility and preservation standards.

What Are Tagged PDFs and PDF/UA?

Tagged PDFs provide a structured representation of document content, allowing screen readers and other assistive technologies to correctly interpret and present it. These tags define the reading order and the semantic meaning of elements, such as headings, paragraphs, lists, and tables.

PDF/UA (ISO 14289) is the international standard for creating accessible PDF documents. The standard defines technical requirements for making PDF files usable by people with disabilities, particularly those who rely on screen readers or keyboard navigation.

Combining it with PDF/A standards, such as PDF/A-3a, results in a document that is both archivable and accessible. This preserves the document's structure and content integrity in the long term.

Why Accessibility Matters

Accessible documents are no longer optional. Many industries are legally required to provide information in accessible formats. Generating tagged PDFs ensures compliance with these regulations and enables all users, regardless of ability, to access, navigate, and understand digital documents.

This is particularly important in:

  • Government and public administration
  • Education and academic institutions
  • Healthcare and insurance
  • Financial services and banking
  • Legal and compliance-driven industries

Making documents accessible improves usability, supports diversity, and reduces the risk of discrimination and legal penalties.

Regulations around the world mandate accessible digital content.

For example:

  • Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies in the United States to ensure that their electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities.
  • The European Union's Web Accessibility Directive requires public sector bodies to make their websites and mobile applications accessible.
  • EN 301 549 (Accessibility requirements for ICT in Europe)

With its PDF/UA support, TX Text Control helps organizations efficiently meet these standards through automated, server-based document generation workflows.

What's Coming in TX Text Control 34.0

Version 34.0 will introduce features that enhance document accessibility, including:

  • Support for tagged PDF generation
  • Compliance with PDF/A-3a
  • Semantic tagging of elements such as headings, paragraphs, tables, and lists
  • Alternative text for images
  • Support for logical reading order

These features will be available in all versions and editions of TX Text Control. This will enable developers to create accessible documents within their web applications.

Why Tagged PDFs Are Better for AI and Automation

In a typical PDF, content is visually arranged, meaning text appears in a specific position on the page without any understanding of its meaning. This makes it difficult for artificial intelligence, automation tools, and machine learning models to process documents intelligently.

The following table summarizes the differences between normal PDFs and tagged PDFs:

Aspect Normal PDF Tagged PDF
Document structure Flat visual layout only Logical structure tree (headings, lists, tables)
Assistive technology support Minimal to none Fully supported (screen readers and other tools)
Reading order Based on visual placement (can be incorrect) Explicit reading order defined in tag tree
Text reflow (e.g., on mobile) Not supported Supported via logical structure
Searchability Basic text search only Enhanced by semantic context
Form field tagging Unstructured or absent Tagged and labeled for accessibility
Alternative text for images Not available Included using /Alt attributes
Machine readability (AI, automation) Limited semantic context High semantic value for automation/AI
Typical use cases Print, archive, basic digital documents Accessible web content, inclusive documentation

Similar to HTML, tagged PDFs offer significant advantages for AI and automation by embedding a semantic structure that describes the content and its relationships. Unlike traditional PDFs, which rely solely on visual layout, tagged PDFs define logical elements, such as headings, paragraphs, lists, and tables, in a machine-readable way. This structure enables AI systems to understand a document's hierarchy and meaning, resulting in more accurate data extraction, content classification, and natural language processing.

Intelligent document processing (IDP) and robotic process automation (RPA) rely on tagged PDFs for consistent, predictable input, eliminating the need for error-prone heuristics or layout analysis. Tagged PDFs also support accessibility features, such as alternative text for images and an explicit reading order. These features make the content usable with assistive technologies and inclusive interfaces, such as voice assistants and document chatbots.

By combining accessibility, structure, and clarity, tagged PDFs unlock the full potential of automated workflows and AI-based analyses. They ensure that documents are readable and understandable by both humans and machines. This makes them an essential format for modern, intelligent, and compliant document ecosystems.

Conclusion

Although accessibility is a shared responsibility, compliance should not be a burden. With our upcoming support for PDF/UA and tagged PDF generation, TX Text Control will handle the complexity, allowing our users to confidently meet accessibility and regulatory requirements.

We provide tools that automatically generate fully compliant PDF documents reliably and at scale.

Stay tuned for the full release of Version 34.0!