How to make Word documents accessible
Headings
Add page headings using the styles gallery in Word so people can find what they need quickly and easily.
On this page
- Headings help people navigate
- How to add heading styles in Word
- How to check headings
- Related resources
Headings help people navigate
Headings and good heading structure organising text into sections and sub sections. They let people scan for and navigate document content faster.
A heading should describe the content that comes after it. Avoid unhelpful headings like ‘More information’.
Learn how to write and structure headings in content
Making headings accessible in Word
According to the WebAIM Million report, headings are the top way screen readers navigate a content online.
Screen readers and text to speech software will announce headings to help users understand and navigate document text more easily.
They can also be used in a document's table of contents, so all users can skip to the content they need quickly.
To make them accessible, content authors must tag headings correctly using the heading styles and give them good visual formatting.
How to add heading styles in Word
Tagging different heading levels
Content authors must tag headings correctly to make them accessible. Do this using the following steps:
- Highlight your heading text.
- Go to 'Home' in the main menu.
- Navigate to the 'Styles' gallery sub-menu.
- Find and select the heading style that matches your heading level. For example, format heading level 1 using the 'Heading 1' style.
When choosing headings for your content, we recommend you:
- plan a clear, logical structure of sections and sub-sections
- make the main title a heading level 1
- start section headings at level 2, like chapters in a book
- try not to use more than 3 heading levels (4 max) - if you use more, it's a sign the structure is too complex
Visually presenting headings
Good visual formatting helps people looking at your document easily tell the difference between a heading and normal text.
Make sure you use:
- the same visual formatting for all headings at the same level
- good colour contrast - change the light blue default heading to a darker colour
- larger text and bolding to make headings stand out - we recommend at least size 14 and larger if your normal text is size 12.
Do not:
- use italics and BLOCK CAPITALS - they are harder to read
- underline headings - it can make it look like a link
- make headings at different levels, like h2s and h3s, look exactly the same
You can modify the visual formatting of headings in the Styles gallery.
If your headings:
- already have good visual formatting, modify the heading style by updating it to match formatting (Microsoft Support)
- do not have good visual formatting, modify the heading style manually (Microsoft Support)
How to check headings
Check your heading styles by putting your cursor within your heading text. The style you've applied will be highlighted in your 'Styles' menu.
You can view the heading structure of your document in the Microsoft Word's Navigation Pane.
To view the Navigation Pane:
- Go to 'View', then go to the 'Show' section.
- Tick the 'Navigation Pane' option.
Be sure to check for:
- a logical heading structure
- text mislabelled as a heading
- empty headings (headings without text)
Related resources
Document headings relate to these accessibility standards and guidance:
