How to make Word documents accessible

Images

Use alternative text for meaningful images so people who cannot see an image can still understand your message.

When to use images in online documents

Services usually work best without relying on images. Give people the easiest path to understanding your message by focusing on writing clear, simple text first.

Before you decide to create or use an image, read Using images in online content.

Make image information accessible to everyone

Not everyone will be able to see or understand the information in your images. Important information in images and objects, like pictures, clip art, charts, shapes and SmartArt must be understood by those who cannot see them.

To do this, you should:

check images zoom up to 400% without meaning being lost
check information in images has good colour contrast
add a text description to informative images with critical information
make sure decorative images are marked 'decorative'

Learn more about making images accessible in Using images in online content.

Image text descriptions

Images with important information need a text description so people who can't see an image can still understand it.

You can provide a text description by:

adding alternative (alt) text to an image
including image information in the nearby text (this helps all users)

Sometimes you may need to do both.

Learn how to write text descriptions for informative images

Adding image alt text

Alternative (alt) text is a short description of an image that helps people using screen readers understand what an image shows. It also appears if the image doesn't load.

Web content authors must decide if information in the image is important to understanding nearby text. If it is, they must then add a short description to the image's alt text.

Add alt text to images using any of the following methods:

Right-click image and select 'Edit Alt Text'.
Select the picture, go to the 'Picture Format' menu and select 'Alt Text'.
Go to ‘Review’ tab and ‘Check Accessibility’.

Do not rely on auto-generated alt text - it's usually wrong.

Read more about using alt text in informative images.

Marking images 'decorative'

Decorative images do not need alt text, but you must mark them as 'decorative' for them to be accessible.

You will have to judge whether to treat an image as decorative or informative based on your reasons for including it on the page.

Types of Images can be marked decorative include those that:

are purely for decoration ('eye candy')
repeat information fully explained in the text and not referenced by the text (redundant)

How to mark an image 'decorative'

Mark an image as 'decorative' using any of the following methods:

Right-click on the image, select 'Edit Alt Text', then select 'Mark as decorative'.
Select the picture, go to the 'Picture Format' menu and select 'Alt Text', then select 'Mark as decorative'.
Go to ‘Review’ and ‘Check Accessibility’ and select 'Mark as decorative' for each image that needs it.

Complex images: Maps, graphs, charts and diagrams

A map, graph, chart or diagram are examples of a complex images. Complex images can include more information than can be explained in a short alt text phrase or sentence.

Complex images should

be formatted as a single, flat image
have a text description added to nearby text explaining the information or data the image shows
have alt text added to briefly explains the image and where the text description is

For examples of how to create and use different complex images, go to Using images in web content.

Image quality

Make sure complex images are good quality, so they remains clear and easy to use when a user zooms in up to 400%.

Test image quality in your document using any of the following:

hold down 'CTRL' and plus (+) or minus (-) keys on your keyboard to zoom in or out
go to 'View' tab, 'Zoom' section, then select 'Zoom' and change the 'Percent' field to 400%

Using colour

If you use colour to convey meaning, use patterns or text to ensure that people who find it hard to see colours can still understand it.

Make sure any colour combinations you use meet colour contrast requirements.

Many of Word's built-in graph and chart colour themes do not meet colour accessibility requirements - so check them before you use them.

Using complex images

Make sure any complex images, like maps, charts, graphs and diagrams are formatted as a flat image.

You can add a complex image by:

copying and saving the map as an image and inserting it
taking a screenshot and pasting it