How to make web pages accessible

Written content

Use clear, accessible writing so users can quickly find and understand your information.

Write web content people can read

The simpler your content is, the easier it is for people to understand, and the fewer questions or complaints you’ll receive.

Make your content simple and structured so everyone can understand it quickly.

Do:

structure content so information is easy to find
write in plain English – use simple words and avoid jargon
use headings and links correctly – make them clear and descriptive
provide text alternatives for important images and other non-text content, such as captions for videos

Learn more about how to write accessible web content.

Show text as text, not images

Avoid using images to show important text. Always provide content as real text.

Examples of unnecessary “images of text” include:

quotes
social media post content
excerpts from documents
key facts from slides

If you must use an image with text, include the same text as real content nearby.

It is okay for an image to include text if the text is decorative or not the main focus.

Use bulleted and numbered lists

Lists make content easier to read and help group important information.

We use two main types of lists:

Bulleted (or unordered) lists
Numbered (or ordered) lists

Do not manually create lists using dashes, numbers, or spaces.

Learn how to write and structure different types of lists in content.

Making lists accessible on the web

Lists must use proper coding so they are formatted consistently and digital tools can understand them. This includes:

Unordered or bulleted lists: <ul> and <li>
Ordered or numbered lists: <ol> and <li>
Nested lists: <li> with either <ul> or <ol>

This allows a screen reader to announce the list and the number of items, helping users navigate content. Search engines, AI, and other digital tools can also understand page structure.