Selection Settings in CommonLook PDF (Desktop and Advanced Editor)

Modified on Sat, 14 Jun, 2025 at 10:47 AM

If you're unable to select content in your PDF, whether by highlighting in the physical view or by selecting in the Tags, you might need to manipulate the Selection section of the Settings tab. This allows you to change what content can be grabbed, and on extension, what content we can use for efficient remediation.

To find Selection settings, follow these steps:

  1. In CommonLook PDF, in the desktop version, navigate to the Settings tab.  In the web-based version, navigate to the Selection Settings panel.
  2. In the desktop version, in the first group in the ribbon, check your selection settings and make sure you have the best option selected. (These are the options that appear in the Selection Settings panel in the web-based version.)
    Here are some additional pointers:
    • Exact - The first option in this group.  Usually, you'll want this one selected.  It means that you'll be able to select exactly what you're highlighting (or choosing in the Tags).
    • Text, Images, and/ or Annotations - Use these options to limit what gets selected when you highlight an area or select from the tags.
    • Tagged (or Tagged Elements in the web-based version) - Use this option to be able to select tagged content.   (Usually, you'll want this checked.)
    • Untagged (or Untagged Elements in the web-based version) - Use this option to be able to select untagged content.  Most of the time you'll want this not selected.  However, if there's untagged content that needs to be tagged, you'll need to use this option so that you can select the content and then tag it. 

Screenshot of the Selection section of the Settings tab with only Exact and Tagged checked.

Above is a screenshot of the Selection settings, in the desktop version, that we recommend for the most efficient and accurate selection accuracy when tagging. Notice "Exact" and "Tagged" are checked and nothing else is. 

Here is a screenshot of the same settings in the web-based version:

Screenshot of the Selection Settings in the web-based version of CommonLook PDF.

 

Didn't find what you're looking for? Navigate to our "General Software Functionality" section for more related articles that may help!

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