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How to make an accessible Word document

How to create headings in Microsoft Word

Here’s how to apply headings in Microsoft Word, with instructions for both Mac and PC using mouse and keyboard shortcuts:

1. Apply a heading style

Highlight the text you want to turn into a heading, then add the style:

Mouse
  • Click and drag to select the text
  • Go to the Home tab.
  • In the Styles group, click the desired heading style (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2).
Keyboard
  • Place the cursor at the beginning of the text, hold Shift, and use the arrow keys to highlight it.
  • Press Alt + H, L (Windows) to open the Styles gallery, then use the arrow keys to select the desired heading style and press Enter.

Or use these keyboard shortcuts directly:

  • Ctrl+Alt+1 (Windows) or Command+Option+1 (Mac) for Heading 1.
  • Ctrl+Alt+2 (Windows) or Command+Option+2 (Mac) for Heading 2
  • Ctrl+Alt+3 (Windows) or Command+Option+3 (Mac) for Heading 3

2. Customize a Heading Style

If you want to change the look of a heading (font, size, color, etc.):

Mouse
  • Format the text the way you like (e.g., change the font size, color, or alignment).
  • Right-click the heading style in the Styles gallery and choose Update [Heading Style] to Match Selection.
Keyboard
  • Format the text using shortcuts (e.g., Ctrl+B for bold, Ctrl+Shift+> to increase font size).
  • Press Alt + H, FY (Windows) to open the Styles task pane, then use the arrow keys to navigate to the heading style and press Enter to update it.

3. Use Headings for Navigation

Enable the Navigation Pane to easily see and navigate your headings:

Mouse
  • Go to the View tab and check Navigation Pane.
Keyboard
  • Press Alt + W, K (Windows).

The Navigation Pane shows all headings in your document. Click on any heading to jump directly to that section.

Steps to improve the accessibility of headings

  • Structure your document: Use Heading 1 for main sections, Heading 2 for subsections, and Heading 3 for smaller divisions.
  • Maintain consistency: Avoid skipping levels (e.g., don’t jump from Heading 1 to Heading 3).
  • Use headings for tables of contents: Headings can automatically create a Table of Contents:

Mouse: Go to the References tab, click Table of Contents, and select a style.

Keyboard: Press Alt + S, T (Windows), then use the arrow keys to select a style and press Enter.

How to apply Text Formatting

Here’s how to change text formatting and line spacing in Microsoft Word, with both mouse and keyboard instructions for PC and Mac:

Change text formatting

This includes font type, size, style (bold, italic, underline), and color.

Select the text you want to format

Mouse
  • Click and drag to highlight the text.
Keyboard
  • Hold Shift and use the arrow keys to highlight the text.

Change the format using the options

Mouse
  • Font type: Go to the Home tab, click the font dropdown in the Font group, and choose a font.
  • Font size: Use the font size dropdown to pick a size.
  • Bold: Click the B icon.
  • Italic: Click the I icon.
  • Underline: Click the U icon.
  • Text color: Click the Font Color icon (looks like an “A” with color below it) and choose a color.
Keyboard
  • Bold: Press Ctrl + B (PC) or Command + B (Mac).
  • Italic: Press Ctrl + I (PC) or Command + I (Mac).
  • Underline: Press Ctrl + U (PC) or Command + U (Mac).
  • Increase font size: Press Ctrl + Shift + > (PC) or Command + Shift + > (Mac).
  • Decrease font size: Press Ctrl + Shift + < (PC) or Command + Shift + < (Mac).

How to change line spacing

You can adjust line spacing to single, 1.5, or double spacing.

Select the text you want to adjust:

Mouse
  • Click and drag to highlight the text.
Keyboard
  • Hold Shift and use the arrow keys to select the text.

Change the line spacing:

Mouse
  • Go to the Home tab.
  • In the Paragraph group, click the Line and Paragraph Spacing icon (it looks like lines with up and down arrows).
  • Choose your spacing: 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or another option.
Keyboard
  • PC: Press Alt + H to go to the Home tab. Then press K to open the line spacing menu. Use the arrow keys to select your spacing and press Enter.
  • Mac: Press Control + Option + H to access the Home tab, then navigate to the Line and Paragraph Spacing option using the arrow keys. Press Return and select your spacing.

Quick tips

  • To format the whole document: Press Ctrl + A (PC) or Command + A (Mac) to select all text, then adjust formatting or line spacing.
  • For clean, easy-to-read documents, use accessible fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Verdana, and choose 1.5 or double spacing.

Here’s how to create and format links in Microsoft Word with instructions for both Mac and PC using mouse and keyboard shortcuts:

1. Make the link text clear:

  • Use meaningful, descriptive text for the link, such as “Download Report” or “Jump to Appendix A.”
  • Avoid vague phrases like “Click here” or “See this.”

2. Add a link:

Highlight the text you want to turn into a link (e.g., “See Section 3: Results”):

Mouse
  • Click and drag over the text to select it.
Keyboard
  • Hold Shift and use the arrow keys to highlight the text.

Open the Insert Hyperlink dialog box:

Mouse
  • Right-click the selected text and choose Link or Hyperlink.
Keyboard
  • Press Ctrl+K (Windows) or Command+K (Mac).

Choose the type of link:

To link to another section in your document:

  • Click Place in This Document (on the left side of the dialog box).
  • Select the heading, bookmark, or section you want to link to.

To link to a file or another document:

  • Click Existing File or Web Page and browse to locate the file.

To link to an email address:

  • Select Email Address and type the email address in the provided field.

Confirm the link:

Mouse
  • Click OK.
Keyboard
  • Press Enter.

3. Format the link to stand out

Highlight the link text to adjust its formatting:

Mouse
  • Click and drag over the link text.
Keyboard
  • Use Shift + Arrow Keys to highlight the link text.

Apply formatting:

Underline:

Mouse
  • Click the “U” button in the Home tab.
Keyboard
  • Press Ctrl+U (Windows) or Command+U (Mac).

Change text color:

Mouse
  • Click the font color icon in the Home tab and select a color (e.g., blue).
Keyboard
  • Press Alt+H, FC (Windows), then use arrow keys to choose a color.

Bold (Optional):

Mouse
  • Click the “B” button in the Home tab.
Keyboard
  • Press Ctrl+B (Windows) or Command+B (Mac).

4. Test the Link

  • Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and click the link to make sure it works.

Steps to improve the accessibility of links in Microsoft Word

Use consistent styling:

Make sure all links in your document use the same style (e.g., color and underline). This helps readers recognize links easily.

Insert bookmarks for specific locations:

Mouse
  • Place your cursor where you want the link to go, go to the Insert tab, and select Bookmark.
Keyboard
  • Press Alt+N, K (Windows) to open the bookmark dialog, type a name for the bookmark, and press Enter.

When creating your link, select the bookmark as the destination.

Use headings for better navigation:

Apply Word’s built-in heading styles to your document for easy linking.

Mouse
  • Select the text, go to the Home tab, and choose a heading style.
Keyboard
  • Press Alt+H, L, then use arrow keys to pick a style (e.g., Heading 1).

How to create a table of contents in Microsoft Word

Here’s how to create a Table of Contents (TOC) in Microsoft Word, with both mouse and keyboard shortcuts:

Step 1: Use headings to structure your document

Highlight the text you want to turn into a heading.

Mouse
  • Click and drag to select the text.
Keyboard
  • Place your cursor at the start of the text, hold Shift, and use the arrow keys to highlight it.

Apply a heading style:

Mouse
  • Go to the Home tab and select a style (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2) from the Styles group.
Keyboard
  • Press Alt + H, L (Windows) to open the Styles gallery. Use the arrow keys to select a heading style and press Enter.

Alternatively, use shortcuts:

  • Ctrl + Alt + 1 (Windows) or Command + Option + 1 (Mac) for Heading 1
  • Ctrl + Alt + 2 (Windows) or Command + Option + 2 (Mac) for Heading 2
  • Ctrl + Alt + 3 (Windows) or Command + Option + 3 (Mac) for Heading 3

Step 2: Insert the table of contents

Place your cursor where you want the TOC to appear (usually at the beginning of the document).

Mouse
  • Click at the desired location.
Keyboard
  • Use the arrow keys to move the cursor, or press Ctrl + Home (Windows) or Command + Home (Mac) to jump to the start of the document.

Open the TOC menu:

Mouse
  • Go to the References tab and click Table of Contents in the Table of Contents group.
Keyboard
  • Press Alt + S, T (Windows) to open the TOC menu.

Choose a TOC style:

Mouse
  • Click a built-in style (e.g., Automatic Table 1 or Automatic Table 2).
Keyboard
  • Use the arrow keys to select a style and press Enter.

Step 3: Update the table of contents (if needed)

If you make changes to the document, you’ll need to update the TOC.

Mouse
  • Click inside the TOC, then click Update Table at the top of the TOC.
Keyboard
  • Place the cursor in the TOC, then press Alt + S, U (Windows) to update the table.

Choose what to update:

Mouse
  • Select Update page numbers only or Update entire table from the pop-up and click OK.
Keyboard
  • Use the arrow keys to select the option and press Enter.

Quick Tips

  • Use heading levels logically to structure your document (e.g., Heading 1 for main sections, Heading 2 for subsections).
  • Avoid skipping heading levels (e.g., jumping from Heading 1 to Heading 3) to ensure a clean TOC.

How To add alt text in Microsoft Word

Here’s how to add alt text to images in Microsoft Word, including both mouse and keyboard instructions for Windows and Mac:

Step 1: Select the image

  1. Mouse: Click on the image in your document to select it.
  2. Keyboard:
    • Windows: Use the arrow keys to move the cursor near the image, then press Tab until the image is selected.
    • Mac: Use the arrow keys to navigate, then press Tab to select the image.

Step 2: Open the Alt Text pane

  1. Mouse:
    • Windows: Right-click the selected image and choose Edit Alt Text from the menu.
    • Mac: Control-click (or right-click) the image and select Edit Alt Text.
    • Alternatively, on both systems, go to the Picture Format tab at the top and click Alt Text in the Accessibility group.
  2. Keyboard:
    • Windows:
      • Press Shift + F10 (or Context Menu key) to open the right-click menu, then use the arrow keys to navigate to Edit Alt Text and press Enter.
      • Alternatively, press Alt + JP + AT to open the Alt Text pane directly.
    • Mac:
      • Press Control + Option + Shift + M to open the context menu, use the arrow keys to navigate to Edit Alt Text, and press Return.
      • Alternatively, press Control + Option + Space to access the ribbon, navigate to the Picture Format tab, and select Alt Text.

Step 3: Add the alt text

  1. Mouse: In the Alt Text pane that appears on the right, type a clear description of the image in the text box (e.g., “A pie chart showing quarterly sales for 2023”).
  2. Keyboard:
    • Windows: Use Tab to navigate to the Alt Text pane and type your description in the text box.
    • Mac: Use Control + Option + Right Arrow to move into the Alt Text pane, then type your description.

Step 4: Close the Alt Text Pane

  1. Mouse: Click anywhere outside the Alt Text pane or close it by clicking the X at the top.
  2. Keyboard:
    • Windows: Press Esc to close the pane.
    • Mac: Press Command + W or Control + Option + Esc to close the pane.

How to make accessible tables in Microsoft Word

Here are instructions for creating an accessible table in Microsoft Word, with mouse and keyboard shortcuts for both Mac and PC:

Step 1: Insert a table

  1. Mouse:
    • Windows and Mac: Go to the Insert tab in the ribbon, click Table, and drag to select the number of rows and columns you need.
  2. Keyboard:
    • Windows: Press Alt + N, T to open the Table menu. Use the arrow keys to select the size of the table and press Enter.
    • Mac: Press Control + Option + Space to activate the ribbon, navigate to the Insert tab using arrow keys, then select Table and choose the size using arrow keys and press Return.

Step 2: Add a title or caption

  1. Mouse:
    • Windows and Mac: Right-click the table, choose Insert Caption, and type a brief title like “Table 1: Monthly Sales.”
  2. Keyboard:
    • Windows: Press Shift + F10 to open the context menu, use the arrow keys to navigate to Insert Caption, and press Enter. Type your title and press Enter again.
    • Mac: Press Control + Option + Shift + M to open the context menu, navigate to Insert Caption, and press Return. Type your title and press Return again.

Step 3: Add headers to the table

  1. Mouse:
    • Windows and Mac: Click inside the top row of the table. Type your headers, like “Name,” “Date,” or “Score.”
    • Then, select the top row, go to the Table Design tab, and check Header Row in the Table Style Options group.
  2. Keyboard:
    • Windows:
      • Type your headers in the first row.
      • Press Alt + JT, H to enable the Header Row.
    • Mac:
      • Type your headers in the first row.
      • Press Control + Option + Space to activate the ribbon, navigate to Table Design, then use the arrow keys to check Header Row.

Step 4: Ensure logical reading order

  1. Arrange the table content logically, row by row, column by column, so it reads smoothly from left to right and top to bottom.
  2. Avoid merged or split cells, as they can confuse assistive technologies.

Step 5: Add alt text to the table

  1. Mouse:
    • Windows and Mac: Right-click the table, choose Table Properties, go to the Alt Text tab, and type a description of the table (e.g., “This table shows monthly sales figures for each region in 2023”).
  2. Keyboard:
    • Windows: Press Shift + F10, navigate to Table Properties, press Enter, and use Tab to move to the Alt Text tab. Type your description and press Enter.
    • Mac: Press Control + Option + Shift + M, navigate to Table Properties, press Return, and use Control + Option + Right Arrow to move to the Alt Text tab. Type your description and press Return.

Step 6: Choose a simple table style

  1. Mouse:
    • Windows and Mac: Go to the Table Design tab and select a style with clear contrast (avoid decorative or complex designs).
  2. Keyboard:
    • Windows: Press Alt + JT, S to open the Table Styles gallery. Use arrow keys to select a style and press Enter.
    • Mac: Press Control + Option + Space to activate the ribbon, navigate to Table Design, and use the arrow keys to choose a style.

Additional tips

  • Avoid using tables for page layout or decoration.
  • Test your table by using the Tab key to navigate through the cells to ensure a logical reading order.

How to save as an accessible PDF

Saving as a PDF with accessibility tags ensures that screen readers can read the document structure, headings, and content correctly.

Step 1: Check accessibility

Before saving, ensure your document is accessible.

  • Mouse: Go to the Review tab in the ribbon and click Check Accessibility. Follow any suggestions to fix accessibility issues.
  • Keyboard:
    • PC: Press Alt + R to open the Review tab, then press A to open the Accessibility Checker.
    • Mac: Press Control + Option + R to access the Review tab, then navigate to Check Accessibility using the arrow keys and press Return.

Step 2: Save as a PDF

To preserve accessibility features, use the Save As option, not “Print to PDF.”

For Windows:

Mouse:
  • Go to File > Save As.
  • Choose where you want to save the file.
  • In the Save as type dropdown, select PDF.
  • Click Options and ensure Document structure tags for accessibility is checked. Click OK, then click Save.
Keyboard:
  • Press Alt + F to open the File menu.
  • Press A to select Save As.
  • Use the arrow keys to choose the save location and press Enter.
  • Press Tab to reach the Save as type dropdown, press P to select PDF, and press Tab to open Options.
  • Ensure Document structure tags for accessibility is checked, press Enter, and then press Save.

For Mac:

Mouse:
  • Go to File > Save As.
  • In the File Format dropdown, choose PDF.
  • Check the box for Best for electronic distribution and accessibility.
  • Click Export.
Keyboard:
  • Press Command + Shift + S to open the Save As menu.
  • Use Tab to navigate to the File Format dropdown. Use the arrow keys to select PDF.
  • Use Tab to reach the option Best for electronic distribution and accessibility and press Space to check it.
  • Press Return to save the file.
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