Microsoft Word

Best Practices for Accessible Microsoft Word documents

Overview

This guide will give you an overview for making Microsoft Word documents accessible.  The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services provides a detailed Word Document 508 Checklist Links to an external site..

Microsoft Office

Make Your Word Documents Accessible  Links to an external site.

This site provides step-by-step guides for every Word document accessibility best practice for Windows, Mac, and Android operating systems.

WebAIM

Word Accessibility Links to an external site.

This site gives examples of best practices and guides for the processes.

Best Practices

Exercise File:  Download Creating Accessible Word Documents.docx

You can work through the exercise file to practice the best practices for creating accessible Microsoft Word documents.

Use the Accessibility Checker

Accessibility Checker Microsoft Video Tutorial Links to an external site.

  1. Select the File tab from the Ribbon
  2. Select Info from the left menu
  3. Select the Check Issues button, and then Check Accessibility
  4. The Accessibility Checker task pane appears to the right.
  5. View the Inspection Results

Newer versions of Word will have the Accessibility checker on the Review Tab.

Check Accessibility Button on the Review tab

Use the Results

The report will list errors and tips.  If you click on the error, the information describing how to correct the problem will be displayed at the bottom.  Tips will also describe related best practices.

Accessibility Report Results

Layout

The document should be formatted using a hierarchy of styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.).  Headings should be used to indicate a change of topic.  Heading levels should not be skipped. 

Format Heading Structure

Heading Structure Microsoft Video Tutorial Links to an external site.

  1. Highlight the text you need to format
  2. On the Home tab, select the appropriate Style (Heading 1, Heading 2, Normal, etc.)
  3. Use Bullets for unordered list
  4. Use Numbering for ordered list

Remove Formatting

If you need to remove formatting from text:

  1. Highlight the text you need to remove the format
  2. Select the “Clear All Formatting” icon located in the Font section of the Home tab.

Clear Formatting Button

Alternative Text

Add alternative (Alt) text that is a succinct and concise description of content or function to:

  • Images
  • Charts
  • Shapes
  • Tables

Decorative images that do not convey unique content, should have a double quote (“”)  for the description.  This communicates to the screen reader to skip the image.  Do not use “This is an image of…” in the description. Screen Readers announce the type of content, such as “image” or “chart”.

 

Add Alternative Text to Images

Alt Text Microsoft Video Tutorial Links to an external site. 

  1. Right-click the image and select Format picture.
  2. In the Format Picture pane, select the Size and Properties icon and then choose Alt Text.
  3. In the Description txt box, type the alt text for the image.

Format Picture Menu with Alt Text box

Alternative Text to Charts

  1. On the Chart’s border, right click
  2. From the menu that appears, select Format Chart Area
  3. On the Format Chart Area pane, select the Size and Properties icon and then Alt Text
  4. In the Description window, add the descriptive narrative text
  5. Select the Close button

MS Word Chart

Make a table from the data

If the chart contains complex data, you can include the data table, rather than explaining in the description.  You can copy the data associated with the chart by following the steps below.

 

  1. Right click on the chart.
  2. Click Edit Data.
  3. Copy the data from the table and paste on the document.

Format Chart Menu with Edit Data

Add Alternative Text to Tables

  1. Right click on the table.
  2. From the menu, select Table Properties
  3. On the Format Table Properties pane, select the Alt Text tab, and enter the description in the description box.

Define a Clear Table Structure

Tables should have a simple structure with column headers.  Avoid blank cells, merged cells, and nesting tables. 

Accessible Tables Microsoft Video Tutorial Links to an external site.

  1. Position the cursor anywhere in a table.
  2. On the Table Tools Design tab, in the Table Style Options group, select the Header Row check box.

Header Row Check Box

 

Create Meaningful Hyperlinks

 

Hyperlinks should describe the destination, not list the URL. Links should not use non-descriptive text such as “link”, “click here” or “Read more….”.

 

Incorrect:  To learn more about SCF please visit http://scf.edu/. Links to an external site.

Incorrect:  To learn more about SCF please click here. Links to an external site.

Correct:  To learn more about SCF please visit SCF Homepage Links to an external site..

 

Meaningful Hyperlinks Microsoft Video Tutorial Links to an external site.

  1. Select the descriptive text that you want to use for the hyperlink
  2. Right-click the text
  3. From the Insert Hyperlink menu, type the web address in the Address: window
  4. Select OK

 

Color

Sufficient contrast is provided and color is not used solely to convey important information.  Check your color contrast Links to an external site..

 Avoid

  • Green & Red 
  • Green & Brown 
  • Blue & Purple 
  • Green & Blue 
  • Blue & Grey 
  • Green & Grey 
  • Green & Black
  • Light Green & Yellow

Accessible Font

Recommended Font Types:

  • Times New Roman
  • Verdana
  • Arial
  • Tahoma
  • Helvetica
  • Calibri

Font size:  A minimum of 11 points (unless the text is a caption or footnote).

Text Images:  Avoid using text as images.

Text Decoration:

  • Avoid blinking text.
  • Add an underline to color-coded hyperlink text

File Save

  • Save the file with a meaningful name
  • Use a maximum of 30 characters
  • Avoid spaces and special characters