How to make Word documents accessible
File name and document title
Add a clear file name and document title to tell people what your document is about.
On this page
File name
A file name is the first piece of information most people will encounter when accessing or downloading your document. It also appears at the end of a folder path or web address (URL) when accessing the document on a device or online.
When saving your document, the file name should be:
- meaningful, but short - the file name should help individuals understand the topic and may be similar to your document title
- under 50 characters, including a file extension ('.docx')
Avoid spaces, hyphens or underscores in filenames if publishing documents on our websites. Use capital letters to separate words instead.
Example file name
Good: WhocanclaimUniversalCreditEasyRead.docx
Bad: 'Universal Credit easy read v1.5 (final) 2019-09-24.docx'
Bad: 'Untitled Doc 1.docx'
Document title
The document title is not the same as a main document heading or file name, but all three should clearly describe what the document is about.
The document title is part of the metadata, like file size, author or creation date. This means it will stay with the document even if it's converted to a PDF (Portable Document Format).
A good document title is important because it:
- tells the user what your document is about
- displays in a browser tab when you open the document
- is the first thing a screen reader reads out
- is required to meet accessibility regulations
Example document title
Good: Who can claim Universal Credit: easy read
Bad: Easy read (Version 2)
Bad: UniversalCreditEasyRead
Bad: (Leaving title field empty)
Add a document title
Add your document title in your Word document's file properties using the following steps:
- Open your Word document.
- Go to the 'File' menu, then 'Info'.
- Under 'Properties', select the 'Title' field.
- Type in your document title.
We also recommend adding an author, though this is not required. This does not have to be a person's name. For example, you can use the organisation's name, like 'Nottinghamshire County Council - www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk'.
Check a document title
Before your document is published:
- Open your Word document on your desktop.
- Go to the 'File' menu, then 'Info'.
- Under 'Properties', go to the 'Title' field and check you have a suitable title.
After you publish your document:
- Select a file on your desktop
- Right click and select 'Properties'
- Go to the 'Details' tab and check you have a document title.
