Forum Discussion
PDF exports missing table tags
I've started noticing this problem with multiple documents exported to PDF from Word. The issue is that the accessibility tags for the table content are <P> instead of <TH>, <TD>, etc.
I was able to replicate the problem myself, using a Save as... method that retains accessibility features in the PDF. In other words, the PDF has bookmarked headings, alt-text for images, and so forth. It's just that some of the tables are tagged as regular text, though they are formatted as tables with header rows in the original Word document.
I asked this question to a few colleagues, and one suggested that the table border settings might be causing the problem. Indeed, when I changed the cell borders from "none" to black, the PDF did show table tags.
As you are probably aware, this is not a workable solution in academia, where style guides often have strict requirements for table design, including no vertical cell borders.
One thing that worked was adding white borders--the table with white borders exported properly to PDF. Unfortunately, adding white vertical borders makes the black horizontal borders look like dashed lines (also, it is going to make a ton of work for the document creators).
I would be so grateful for any ideas on how to solve this.
3 Replies
Try the following:
1. Use Table Styles with Header Rows
• Apply built-in Word table styles that include header formatting.
• Ensure the “Repeat Header Rows” option is enabled (Table Tools → Layout → Repeat Header Rows).
2. Enable Accessibility Tags on Export
• When saving as PDF, make sure “Document structure tags for accessibility” is checked.
• You can find this under File → Save As → PDF → Options.3. Avoid Borderless Tables
• Instead of “no borders,” try using 0.25 pt white borders for vertical lines and solid black for horizontal.
• This minimizes the dashed-line effect while preserving tag recognition.
4. Use Acrobat to Repair Tags
• Open the PDF in Acrobat Pro.
• Go to Tools → Accessibility → Reading Order.
• Manually tag the tables using the “Table” tool — this lets you define headers and cells properly.
5. Try Exporting via Acrobat PDFMaker
• If you have Acrobat installed, use the Acrobat tab in Word to export.
• PDFMaker tends to preserve structure better than Word’s native Save As PDF.
6. Check for Floating Tables
• Make sure tables are inline and not inside text boxes or frames.
• Floating objects often lose semantic tagging during export.File→Export→Create PDF→Options→Check to create bookmarks using headers.
Hi DisasousCrow. This setting is enabled when saving as PDF, but I don't think it would impact the accessibility tags for tables.
