How to Make Accessible Word, PowerPoint & Excel Documents

Microsoft Word

• Use the built-in heading styles (Heading 1, 2, 3) instead of just bold/large text — this creates real structure.
• Add alt text to every meaningful image; mark decorative images as decorative.
• Use real lists (the bullet/number buttons), not manual dashes.
• Give tables a header row (Table Design → Header Row) and keep them simple; avoid merged cells.
• Use descriptive link text, not bare URLs.
• Set the document title and language in File → Info / Options.
• Run the built-in Accessibility Checker (Review → Check Accessibility).

Microsoft PowerPoint

• Give every slide a unique title (use the Outline view to check).
• Set a logical reading order for each slide (Arrange → Selection Pane / Reading Order).
• Add alt text to images, charts, and SmartArt.
• Ensure sufficient colour contrast — check with our contrast checker.
• Don't rely on colour alone to convey meaning.
• Run the Accessibility Checker before exporting.

Microsoft Excel

• Use a clear table structure with a header row; format ranges as a Table (Insert → Table) so headers are programmatic.
• Give each sheet a meaningful name and remove blank/unused sheets.
• Add alt text to charts and images.
• Avoid conveying meaning by colour alone; add text or symbols.
• Set the document title and run the Accessibility Checker.

Exporting an accessible PDF

When you export, choose options that preserve tags / document structure (in Word: File → Save As PDF → Options → "Document structure tags for accessibility"). Then verify the PDF: tags, reading order, and alt text often still need a check. Our PDF accessibility checklist walks through verifying the result, and if you have a backlog, our document accessibility service can remediate them for you.