How to Make a Word Document Accessible

Creating accessible Word documents ensures your content is usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. Accessible documents work with assistive technologies like screen readers, allow text resizing, and provide alternative ways to access information. This comprehensive guide teaches you to create fully inclusive documents.

Understanding Document Accessibility

Who Benefits from Accessibility?

Accessibility helps:

• People with visual impairments who use screen readers
• People with low vision who need text enlargement
• People with color blindness who struggle with color-coded information
• People with motor disabilities who use keyboard-only navigation
• People with cognitive disabilities who benefit from clear structure
• People with hearing loss who need text alternatives for audio

Creating accessible documents benefits everyone, not just people with disabilities.

Core Accessibility Principles

Accessible documents are:

• Perceivable: Information is presented in ways people can perceive (through sight, sound, or touch)
• Operable: Documents can be navigated using keyboard only
• Understandable: Content is clear and predictable
• Robust: Documents work with assistive technologies

These principles guide all accessibility decisions.

Planning for Accessibility

Before You Start

Consider accessibility from the beginning:

• Use built-in styles for structure
• Plan clear heading hierarchy
• Choose legible fonts
• Avoid relying solely on color
• Design with simplicity in mind

Building accessibility in is easier than retrofitting it.

Document Structure

Plan your document’s logical structure:

• How will sections be organized?
• What’s the hierarchy of information?
• What visual elements convey meaning?
• How will you present tables and lists?

Clear structure benefits all readers.

Using Proper Heading Structure

Heading Hierarchy

Structure documents with proper heading hierarchy:

• Use Heading 1 for main title or top-level sections
• Use Heading 2 for major subsections
• Use Heading 3 for sub-subsections
• Continue as needed

Don’t skip levels (jumping from Heading 1 to Heading 3). Don’t use multiple Heading 1s for sections that should be Heading 2s.

Applying Heading Styles

Use the Home tab to apply heading styles. Select a paragraph and click Heading 1, Heading 2, or another level.

Don’t format text to look like a heading using bold and larger font. Always use official heading styles.

Outline View

Use View > Outline to see your document structure. This helps verify heading hierarchy is logical and complete.

The outline should form a clear, hierarchical structure visible in outline view.

Adding Alternative Text to Images

Why Alt Text Matters

Alt text describes images for people using screen readers. It should convey the image’s content and purpose.

Every meaningful image needs alt text. Decorative images should be marked as decorative (empty alt text).

Writing Effective Alt Text

• Be concise: Keep it under 125 characters
• Be descriptive: Describe what the image shows and its purpose
• Be specific: Avoid generic “image” or “picture” descriptions
• Include text in images: If images contain text, include it in alt text

Poor alt text: “Image” Better alt text: “Bar chart showing quarterly sales growth from 2024 to 2026”

Adding Alt Text in Word

Right-click an image and select “Edit Alt Text.” Write a description of the image.

Some Word versions have this in the Format menu. Click File > Info to find accessibility or properties options.

Describing Complex Images

For charts, graphs, and diagrams:

• Describe the general purpose
• Include key data or trends
• Provide data table alternative if needed

For photographs:

• Identify important people or objects
• Describe context and setting
• Include any relevant text visible in the photo

Creating Accessible Tables

Table Headers

Every table needs headers identifying columns and rows. Mark the first row as headers using table properties.

Right-click the table and select Table Properties or Options. Look for “Header Row” settings.

Clear Table Structure

• Use consistent cell structure
• Avoid merged cells when possible
• Keep tables simple and organized
• Use tables for data, not layout

Complex nested tables are difficult for screen readers to navigate.

Table Content

• Write clear, concise cell content
• Avoid blank cells (use “N/A” instead)
• Keep row and column headers simple but descriptive
• Provide context in surrounding text

Alternative to Complex Tables

For very complex data, provide an alternative format:

• A summary description
• A data list
• A downloadable file with the data

This ensures users with screen readers get all necessary information.

Using Color and Contrast Effectively

Color Contrast Requirements

Text should contrast sufficiently with background:

• Normal text: at least 4.5:1 contrast ratio
• Large text (18+ point): at least 3:1 contrast ratio

Check contrast using online tools if you’re uncertain.

Don’t Rely Solely on Color

Avoid communicating information through color alone. For example:

• Don’t use only red text for warnings—add “WARNING:” label
• Don’t use only color to distinguish chart sections—add patterns or labels
• Don’t use only color for links—make them underlined or otherwise distinct

Choosing Colors

Use color combinations that are distinguishable for color-blind users:

• Avoid red/green combinations
• Avoid blue/yellow in small sizes
• Test combinations with color blindness simulators

Many color tools show how your choices appear to color-blind users.

Font and Text Formatting

Choosing Fonts

Use sans-serif fonts for body text (Arial, Calibri, Verdana). Serif fonts like Times New Roman work but may be harder for some readers.

Avoid decorative fonts that are hard to read. Choose simple, clear fonts.

Font Size

Use at least 11 or 12 point for body text. Larger sizes help users with low vision.

For lengthy documents, 12 point is standard and readable for most people.

Text Formatting

Use bold for emphasis, avoiding all-caps text which is hard to read. Avoid excessive italics.

Limit formatting to make important information stand out, not create decorative effects.

Line Spacing

Use at least 1.5 line spacing to improve readability. Single spacing is difficult for many readers.

Adequate spacing between lines helps people with dyslexia and low vision.

Creating Accessible Lists

Using List Formatting

Use formal list formatting for bulleted and numbered lists, not manual symbols or numbers.

In the Home tab, click the bullet or number list button. This marks lists structurally for assistive technology.

List Content

• Write list items as complete thoughts
• Keep items parallel in structure
• Use parallel starting words (all verbs, all nouns, etc.)

Clear, parallel list structure is easier for everyone to scan and understand.

Nested Lists

You can create sub-lists for hierarchical information. Use the indent button to create levels.

Keep nesting to reasonable levels (usually not more than 3-4 levels deep).

Accessible Links

Descriptive Link Text

Link text should describe the destination. Screen reader users often hear only link text.

Poor link text: “Click here” or “Read more” Better link text: “Learn more about accessibility features” or “Download the 2025 annual report”

Creating Links

Select descriptive text, then insert a link. The selected text becomes the link text users see.

Avoid using URLs as link text. Use readable, meaningful phrases instead.

Link Organization

Keep related links together. Make a list of links on a separate page if needed.

Organize links logically so users can find what they need.

Document Properties and Metadata

Adding a Document Title

Every document should have a title. Set it through File > Info > Properties.

The title appears in window titles and helps screen reader users identify the document.

Adding Description

Add a brief description of the document’s content in the properties. This appears in search results and helps users understand the document’s purpose.

Author and Language

Include author information if relevant. Set the document language correctly (English, Spanish, etc.) so screen readers pronounce words correctly.

Plain Language and Clear Writing

Use Clear, Simple Language

• Use short sentences (under 20 words)
• Use simple words instead of jargon
• Define acronyms on first use
• Break content into short paragraphs

Clear writing helps everyone, especially people with cognitive disabilities.

Structure Content Logically

• Start with the main point
• Group related information
• Use headings to organize
• Provide summaries or overviews

Logical structure helps readers navigate and understand content.

Avoid Assumptions

Don’t assume readers understand context or background. Provide necessary information.

Explain specialized terms. Reference earlier sections if readers might not remember them.

Formatting Documents for Readability

Page Breaks

Use logical page breaks to separate sections. Ensure headers don’t orphan on pages.

Avoid page breaks in the middle of important concepts.

White Space

Use white space effectively to break up content and make pages less dense.

Adequate margins and spacing improve readability and reduce overwhelming appearance.

Consistent Formatting

Apply styles consistently throughout. Use the same heading levels for similar sections.

Inconsistent formatting confuses readers and breaks document structure.

Testing Accessibility

Using the Accessibility Checker

Run Review > Check Accessibility to scan for issues. Fix all errors and most warnings.

The checker identifies technical problems but doesn’t evaluate content clarity.

Manual Review

Review your document for:

• Clear, simple language
• Logical structure
• Adequate spacing and margins
• Good color contrast
• Descriptive images and links

Screen Reader Testing

If possible, test with a screen reader:

• Does the content read in logical order?
• Do headings make sense?
• Are images properly described?
• Is navigation possible with keyboard only?

Testing reveals issues the Accessibility Checker misses.

Getting User Feedback

If possible, have people with disabilities test your documents. Their real-world experience reveals practical issues.

Incorporate feedback to improve accessibility.

Sharing Accessible Documents

Format Choices

PDF documents should be tagged as accessible. Word documents are generally more accessible than PDFs.

Share in Word format when possible. If sharing as PDF, ensure it’s properly tagged.

Instructions for Access

If a document requires special software or techniques to access, provide instructions.

For example, explain that a document works best with a specific screen reader or version of Word.

Common Accessibility Mistakes to Avoid

Not Using Styles

Using manual formatting instead of styles breaks document structure. Always use built-in styles.

Forgetting Alt Text

Images without alt text are unusable for blind users. Never skip alt text.

Poor Color Contrast

Low contrast text is unreadable for people with low vision. Always verify contrast.

Skipped Heading Levels

Inconsistent heading structure confuses screen reader users. Maintain proper hierarchy.

Using Color Alone

Never convey information through color only. Use additional indicators.

Inaccessible Fonts

Decorative fonts are hard to read. Stick with simple, clear fonts.

Conclusion

Creating accessible Word documents is achievable by following these guidelines and best practices. Accessibility is an ongoing process—it’s not about perfection but about making your documents usable for as many people as possible. By using proper structure, adding descriptions, ensuring good contrast, and writing clearly, you create documents that work for everyone. Make accessibility a standard part of your document creation process, and you’ll naturally create more inclusive documents that serve your entire audience.