Microsoft Word Guides

Create a uniform heading structure through use of styles in Word. This allows screen readers to navigate a document and improves accessibility for everyone.

Adding and Editing Headings

1. Select the text and choose the appropriate style under Styles on the Home ribbon. (e.g., “Heading 1”)
2. Headings 1, 2, or 3 can also be assigned using CTRL + ALT + 1, 2, or 3, respectively.

Images can be given appropriate alternative text in Word. This alt text is read by a screen reader in a Word file and should remain intact when exporting to HTML or PDF.

Adding Alt Text

1. Right-click on the image and choose Format Picture.
2. Select the Layout & Properties icon and choose Alt Text.
3. Enter appropriate alt text only in the Description field (not the Title field).

When creating columns, always use true columns, not columns created by hand with the Tab key.

Creating Columns

1. Select Page Layout on the ribbon.
2. Select Columns under Page Setup and choose the appropriate number of columns.

Use true numbered and bulleted lists to emphasize a point or a sequence of steps.

Creating Lists

1. Select the Numbered List or Bulleted List option on the Home ribbon, under the Paragraph section.

Word automatically creates a hyperlink when a user pastes a full URL onto a page. These may not make sense to screen reader users, so more information is needed.

Adding Hyperlinks

1. Select the text you want linked, right click, and select Hyperlink or CTRL + k.
2. Make sure the text in the Text to Display field is a meaningful description and type the link URL in the Address bar.

Accessible tables need a clear table structure and table headers to help guide a screen reader user.

Creating Tables

1. Select the Insert tab on the ribbon, then select Table > Insert Table.
2. To add table headers to the first row, select Table Tools> Layout on the ribbon, then choose the Repeat Header Rows option in the Data section.

Options in the Design tab may be used to change appearance but will not provide the necessary accessibility information.

Word includes an accessibility resource that identifies accessibility issues.

1. Select File> Info.
2. Select the Check for Issues button and choose Check Accessibility.
3. The Accessibility Checker task pane will show accessibility errors, warnings, and tips on how to repair the errors. Select specific issues to see Additional Information at the bottom of the task pane.

Create a uniform heading structure through use of styles in Word. This allows screen readers to navigate a document, and improves accessibility for everyone.

Headings can be created using the Styles toolbar.

1. Select the text and click on the appropriate style. (E.g. “Heading 1”)
2. Headings 1, 2, or 3 can also be assigned using command   + option + 1, 2, or 3, respectively.

Images can be given appropriate alternative text in Word. This text is read by a screen reader in a Word file and should remain intact when exporting to HTML or PDF.

1. Right-click (or control + click) on the image and select Format Picture. A dialog box will appear.
2. Select the Alt Text option in the sidebar. Enter appropriate alternative text to the Description field, not the Title field.

If you do not see the Alt Text option, make sure you have the most up to date version of Word. Alternative text is available in Office 14.1 or newer.

When creating columns, always use true columns, not columns created by hand with the Tab key.

Creating Columns

1. Select Layout on the main ribbon.
2. Select Columns in the Page Setup group.

• Use the Tables ribbon to create tables, not by hand with spaces or the Tab key.
• There is no way to easily create table headers in Word.
• The first row can be identified as table headers in PDF (but not in HTML). To do this, Right click on the first row in the table and select
  Table Properties > Row> Repeat as header row at the top of each page.

Word automatically creates a hyperlink when a user pastes a full URL onto a page. These may not make sense to screen reader users, so more information is needed.

1. Select a hyperlink, right click, and select Edit Hyperlink or command + k.
2. Change the text in the Display field to a more meaningful description.

Use true numbered and bulleted lists to emphasize a point or a sequence of steps. To create a list, select the  Numbered List or Bulleted List option in the main ribbon.