Accessible documents in Word

Everyone should have access to the information in a document, regardless of disability or functional variation.

Creating accessible documents can be simple and efficient if you use the right techniques and our accessible Office templates.

Whenever possible, presenting content directly on a web page is the most accessible option instead of linking to documents. However, if you need to use PDF documents, ensure they are designed for accessibility. This makes them easier for everyone to read and locate while also improving their visibility in search engines.

Title of the document

Every document should have a title. A clear and well-crafted title helps readers find your document and understand its content. In most cases, the document title matches the first heading.

Use Office templates

The Office templates are one of the foundations of accessible documents. By using them, you are well on your way to making content accessible to all.
Avoid starting from an old document, as you risk including content that is not accessible. The template may also have been updated to reflect new guidelines and laws, which are important to follow.
You can find the templates under the heading Templates and you can choose from:

• Decision
• Letter
• Basic template
• Memorandum
• Protocol
• Blank: Always use this template if you want to create a document from scratch, as it contains the correct formatting. Do not use Word's own blank documents.

Use stylesheets

Style sheets are an important foundation of an accessible document. Styles are heading levels, bulleted lists and numbered lists that create structure in the document and make it easier to find and read the content.

• Create headings using the style sheets, not by increasing the size or bolding text.
• Do not skip any level of heading.
• Use the bulleted list and the numbered list in the list of formats.

Table of contents

Tables of contents are based on the headings in the document. Thanks to the use of stylesheets for headings, the table of contents can find them automatically.

Don't forget to update the table of contents as the last step before exporting your document as a PDF, to make sure it is correct.

Structure and reading scheme

A clear and well-structured document makes it easier for readers to get an overview, find their way around and understand the content of the document. A good structure also creates a logical reading order for people using assistive technology.

Some ways to structure your document are to:

• Create straight lines using tabbing.
• Create multiple columns of text.
• Clear away empty Enter strokes.
• Increase spacing between paragraphs to create air.
• Aligning images and attaching the reading of the image alt text to the right place in the text.

Headers and footers

Headers and footers are not readable in assistive technology. Therefore, information that is relevant to the reader needs to be placed in the document instead of in the header or footer. In our templates, all information on the first page is outside the header.

Page numbering can be in the header or footer, as it is read anyway.

Links to websites

To ensure users understand where a link will take them, use descriptive link text. Assistive technology users may navigate by listening to links alone, making clear descriptions essential. Avoid generic phrases like "Read more" or "Click here." Instead, use specific wording such as "Current research on plagiarism in higher education" or "Full instructions for documents available in Word."

Pictures and graphics

If you put images or figures in your document, there are a few things you need to consider to make them accessible to everyone:

Alternative text

Images that complement and explain the content should have alternative text (alt text). The alt text is not visible, but is read out to people using assistive technology such as screen readers. Remember to describe what the image is supposed to convey and give a short description. End with a period (.).

Images that serve as decoration do not need to have alternative text. Tick the box Mark as decorative under Alternative text.

Placing images or objects

Objects such as text boxes, shapes and images are read in the order in which they are placed in the document. This is called the reading order. By default, the insertion point will be where the mouse cursor was positioned when the object was inserted. In the document and video Placement of images and objects, you will learn how to customize the positioning of objects and the attachment point, so that the alternative text is read in the correct place in the document.

Tables and charts

Tables are an effective way to present data, but they must be properly structured using tabular tools. If not formatted correctly, they may be inaccessible to screen reader users.

Important to keep in mind:

• Have high contrast between rows and columns.
• Set the first row as the header row.
• Do not have empty cells in the table.
• Keep your tables simple. Split complex tables into multiple tables if possible.

Chart

Charts, like tables, are a good way to illustrate and clarify content. There are a few things that are important to keep in mind to make the diagram readable for everyone:

• Use high contrast between different parts of the chart.
• Use data labels that show the data for each bar, line or pie.
• Make it clear which data label belongs to which part of the chart.
• Add a descriptive text.

Check accessibility

Before exporting your document to a PDF, you should check its accessibility. Word has a built-in accessibility checker and although it does not find all errors, it is a useful tool.

If you have followed the instructions for creating accessible documents, you can interpret any warnings in the check as recommendations. Check if there is anything that needs to be fixed or if you missed something in your work.

Export to PDF file

When exporting an accessible Word document to a PDF, the goal is to do so in such a way that the accessibility features of the Word document are preserved. This includes heading structure, alternative text for images, and markups that explicitly identify lists, tables, document language, and other content that is important for accessibility.

The correct method of exporting to PDF depends on which version of Microsoft Office you are using. Instructions on how to do this in the different versions can be found under the heading ‘Versions and accessibility’ in the document.

Important: do not print to PDF. Do not print to PDF. This method of creating a PDF file does not preserve the accessibility features of the document.

Instructions for accessible documents

Full instructions and checklist on how to create accessible documents will soon be available in PDF format in Instructions: Accessible documents in Word.

Instructions: Accessible documents in Word Pdf, 1.1 MB.

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