Actual text
Actual text is a PDF feature that stores an element's exact wording on its tag, instead of relying on the characters drawn on the page. announces the stored wording in its place, while the page looks exactly the same.
It is used when the drawn text cannot be read reliably or cannot be attached to a single tag: text drawn as an image, a word split by a decorative drop cap or hyphenation, or one line of text that spans several table cells. In a , a tag carrying actual text reads to a exactly like any other text - though because the tag does not point at a specific place on the page, Silktide's Review tab cannot highlight a page area for it (see Tags without a page area).
Learn more
- Tagged PDF Best Practice Guide: Syntax - PDF Association guidance covering ActualText