Checklist
Font and formatting
- Text is at least 12pt and simple, familiar font types are used.
- Italics, all caps, and non-link underlining are used sparingly.
- Text is not fully justified.
Hyperlinks
- Link text is specific and makes sense out of context.
- URLs are not included or are not active links.
- Links are underlined and are a different color than other text.
Headings, lists, and tables
- Heading styles are used and Navigation pane checked.
- Built-in tools are used for lists and columns.
- Built-in table tools are used for data tables, not for layout purposes.
- Data tables are not included as images.
- Data tables do not have merged or split cells.
- Data tables have header rows and/or header columns set.
- Data tables split between pages have “repeat header rows” set.
- Meaningful content in header/footer/watermarks is duplicated in text on page.
Images
- Meaningful images have great alt text (i.e., specific, punctuated, front-loaded, context aware).
- Non-meaningful images are marked as decorative.
- Images of text are used sparingly and content is duplicated in text on page.
Color
- Color contrast of text has been tested and passes WCAG AA standards.
- Color contrast of meaningful graphics (e.g., bars in charts) has been tested and passes WCAG AA standards.
- Color is not used alone to communicate information (i.e., does all content still make sense if document is turned to grayscale?).
Final checks
- Document title added to File > Info > Properties.
- Accessibility checker shows no errors and warnings have been evaluated.
Additional resources
- Creating accessible documents article Read WebAIM's (Web Accessibility in Mind) guidance for different versions of Word.
- Contrast checker Test your color combinations with this free tool from WebAIM.
- Microsoft Word best practices Learn about Word's built-in accessibility features.
- Video tutorial series from Section508.gov Watch brief videos on specific Word accessibility topics.
Disclaimer
The information provided by Marin County’s Digital Accessibility Team is intended to increase people’s awareness of digital accessibility. Links are provided because they have information that may be useful. The County of Marin does not warrant the accuracy of any information contained in the links and neither endorses nor intends to promote the advertising of the resources listed herein. The County of Marin is not responsible for any kind of loss or damage arising from your use of the links or information provided herein.