Create Accessible Documents - Quick Reference Guide

Master the common practices for creating accessible documents.

Images, tables, cells and blank documents

Use in-line images instead of floating images

Images not in line with text are challenging to navigate for people with visual impairments. To optimize your images for screen readers: 

1. Right-click the image.
2. Choose Wrap Text and then select In Line with Text or Top and Bottom from the menu.
    

Include closed captions for audio content

If you use audio components in a document or video, make the content available in alternative formats for users with disabilities, such as closed captions, transcripts or alt text.
 

Change text box and caption wrapping

Text boxes and image captions must have appropriate wrapping so users can navigate the document.

1. Select the text box.
2. Select the wrapping icon that appears to the right.
3. Select Top and Bottom under the With Text Wrapping heading.
    

Avoid image watermarks

Images used as watermarks may not be understood by people with vision or cognitive disabilities. If you must use a watermark, make sure that the information it contains is also included elsewhere in your document.
 

Add an accessibility completion date to the footer

Once you have made your document accessible, add a statement to the footer indicating the date the document was made accessible.

1. Select Footer from the Insert menu.
2. Add a single line of text that indicates the date made accessible. For example, "This document was made accessible on 1/18/2018."
    

Add alternative text to images, objects, tables and captions

Alternative text, also known as alt text, displays when you move your pointer over a picture or object. Alt text helps people who use screen readers to understand the content of your images.

1. Right-click the image or object and then select Format.
2. Select Alt Text from the Layout & Properties group.
3. Enter a description of the image or object into the Title and Description text boxes.
4. Select Close.
    

Specify column header rows in tables

Create clear column headings to provide context and assist with the navigation of a table's contents.

1. Select anywhere in the table.
2. On the Table Tools Design tab, select the Header Row check box in the Table Style Options group.
3. Select a Table Style from the Grid Tables groups.
4. Right-click the table and select Table Properties.
5. Under the Row tab, select the checkbox beside Repeat as the header row at the top of each page.
    

Styles and hyperlinks

Use styles in long documents

Heading and paragraph styles, as well as tables of content when necessary, make it easier for readers to follow your document. In longer documents, these elements can add structure for those using a screen reader or who rely on the visual cue of section headings to navigate as they read.

1. Select the text you want to make into a heading.
2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, select the appropriate level heading style from the Quick Styles gallery.
    

Use short titles in headings

When you use headings in a document, be sure to keep them short (fewer than 20 words). Headings should be, at most, one line long. This makes it easier for readers to quickly navigate the document by scanning it or using the navigation pane.
 

Ensure all heading styles are in the correct order

Using heading levels in a logical order (for example, Heading 4 is a child of Heading 3, not Heading 2) assists users in navigating the document and finding information.
 

Use meaningful hyperlink text

Hyperlink text should provide a clear description of the link destination rather than only providing the URL. Ideally, both should be displayed.

1. Place your cursor where you want the hyperlink.
2. On the Insert tab, in the Links group, select Hyperlink to open the hyperlink dialog box.
3. In the Text to display box, type in the name or phrase briefly describing the link destination followed by the URL in parenthesis.
4. In the Address box, type the link URL.
5. Select OK.
    

Add a ScreenTip text to hyperlinks

You can include ScreenTip text that appears when your cursor hovers over a hyperlink and can be used similarly to alt text. Place your cursor in the hyperlink you want to add ScreenTip text to

1. On the Insert tab, in the Links group, select Hyperlink to open the hyperlink box.
2. Select ScreenTip.
3. Type in your text in the ScreenTip text box.
4. Select OK.
    

Tables, cells and blank characters

Use a simple table structure

By not using nested tables or merged or split cells inside of tables, you make the data predictable and easy to navigate. To test and simplify the table structure, do the following:

1. Select the first cell of the table.
2. Select the Tab key repeatedly to ensure that the focus moves across and down.
    

Avoid using blank cells for formatting

Using blank cells to format your table might mislead someone using a screen reader into thinking there is nothing more in the table. You can fix this by deleting unnecessary blank cells, or if your table is explicitly used to layout content within your document, you can clear all table styles by doing the following:

1. Select the entire table.
2. On the Table Tools Design tab, in the Table Styles group, select the arrow next to the style gallery to expand the gallery of table styles.
3. On the menu below the gallery, select Clear.
    

Avoid using repeated blank characters

Extra spaces, tabs and empty paragraphs may be perceived as blanks by people using screen readers. Instead, use formatting, indenting, and styles to create white space.

1. Remove any existing white space around the paragraph.
2. Select the text, then right-click and choose Paragraph.
3. Select values for Indentation and Spacing to create white space.