How to make web pages accessible

You need to do manual and automatic checks to make sure your web page is accessible.

On this page

• Before you begin
• Manual checks
• Automated checks
• Test for mobile devices
• Test with a screen reader
• Still need help?

Before you begin

Before you begin, make sure your web content:

• was created using this guidance
• has a suitable alternative if you cannot make it accessible

No web page will be 100% accessible to all users in all situations.

Be sure to give details on how people can request a version of your content that meets their specific access needs. For example, an easy read document, BSL version or contact details if they would like to speak with a person.  

Manual checks

Before you publish your web page, check it has: 

• a unique and descriptive page title 
• clear, descriptive and formatted headings
• easy to read and understand written content
• link text that describes where it takes the user 
• informative images that are easy to see with text alternatives added  
• colour combinations with good good colour contrast 
• correctly used and formatted tables

Be sure to check your content with real users too, including those with disabilities to make sure it works for them.

You can even ask someone who doesn’t know your topic, like a colleague, if it makes sense to them. 

Automated checks

Each page in this guide suggests free tools you can use to help you check your content.

Do not rely on automated checkers to tell you your page is accessible. They cannot find all issues. 

General automated checkers

• WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool can check multiple parts of your web page at once. 
• Silktide Accessibility Checker can check multiple parts of your web page and view your content through various disability simulators. 

Test for mobile devices

Be sure to check how your content appears and reads for users on smaller screens, like a mobile or tablet device.

A quick way to do this is to resize your browser window on your desktop to narrow as it will go. This roughly simulates how mobile devices will view your web page information.  

Test with a screen reader

We recommend you learn how to use a screen reader to test your web page. The most popular free ones are:

• NVDA for Microsoft devices
• TalkBack (built in to Android phones)
• VoiceOver (built in to Mac and Iphone devices) 

Microsoft has its own built in screen reader called Narrator, but we recommend you install NVDA screen reader for testing instead.

NVDA is a full screen reader and the most used screen reader for Microsoft devices (WebAIM).  

If you work for the council, you can request NVDA using a new software request form [council staff only]

Still need help

If you have an issue with your web page that's not covered in this guidance, you can contact the Communications team for advice.

ICT training for Microsoft SharePoint

If you work for the council, ICT offers support specifically for creating web content in Microsoft SharePoint. To learn more, go to 365 HUB (Microsoft SharePoint) [council staff only].