To help ensure that your Microsoft 365files are accessible, use the Accessibility Checker, a free tool available in Word, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, and PowerPoint on Windows, Office for the web, or Mac, and Visio on Windows. It finds most accessibility issues and explains why each might be a potential problem for someone with a disability. It also offers suggestions on how to resolve each issue.
Although the Accessibility Checker catches most types of accessibility issues, there are some issues it's not able to detect. That's why it's important to always review your work visually to find the issues hiding from the Accessibility Checker. To learn more, go to Accessibility Checker limitations.
The Accessibility Checker verifies your file against a set of rules that identify possible issues for people who have disabilities. Depending on how severe the issue is, the Accessibility Checker classifies each issue as an error, warning, or tip.
Error. Content that makes the document difficult or impossible to read and understand for people with disabilities
Warning. Content that in most (but not all) cases makes the document difficult to understand for people with disabilities
Tip. Content that people with disabilities can understand but that could be presented in a different way to improve the users experience
Intelligent Services. Content that is automatically made accessible by AI, and that you should review for accuracy and context
The following tables itemize the Accessibility Checker rules, what they check for, where to learn how to fix each issue, and why you should fix each one.
Note:To make sure your files are as accessible as possible, you should only use tables when they are necessary to present your data. Avoid tables that only have a layout purpose.
If content in the file makes it very difficult or impossible for someone with a disability to use, the Accessibility Checker classifies it as an error.
Rule
Accessibility Checker verifies
Why fix this?
Applies to these applications
All non-text content has alternative text (alt text).
All objects have alt text and the alt text doesnt contain image names or file extensions.
Screen readers speak the alternative text to describe images and other non-text content that users cant see. Based on alt text, users can understand the purpose and meaning of the described content.
Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, OneNote, Visio
Tables specify column header information.
Tables and/or blocks of cells have the header box selected or a header row indicated.
Users rely on the table headers to understand the content that is subsequently read by the screen reader. Also, assistive technology often uses the table header row to help convey to the user the current cursor location in the table and to provide information that enables the user to navigate the table.
Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, OneNote
All sections have meaningful names.
All sections have names that arent default or placeholder names such as Default Section, Untitled Section, or Section 3.
Section names enable users to navigate more easily within a large presentation in the Thumbnail Pane, Slide Sorter View, and Grid View.
PowerPoint
All slides have titles.
Slides have titles.
Slide titles enable users to navigate within a presentation, including finding and selecting a single slide to immediately go to.
PowerPoint
Cells in an Excel worksheet don't use red-only formatting for negative numbers.
Cells that are set to Number format and use only the red color for negative numbers (e.g. show 1000 in red instead of -1000).
Users who have difficulty distinguishing color wont be able to tell the difference between positive and negative values.
Excel
Image or object is inline with the text.
Images or objects are positioned inline with the surrounding text,unlessobjects are in the headeror footerregions of the document.
If the image or object is not inline, it can be difficult for screen reader users to interact with the object. It can also be difficult to know where the object is relative to the text.For more info, go to Use a screen reader to select and read text boxes and images in Word
Word
Document access is not restricted.
Any document that has disabled the Access content programmatically option in the document permissions settings: Review > Restrict Editing > Restrict permission.... Select Restrict permission to this document > More options.
Information Rights Management (IRM) protection can prevent devices such as screen readers from having access to this document. For more info, go to Allow changes to parts of a protected document.
Excel, PowerPoint, Word
All content control fields have titles.
All forms have titles for each field.
Form titles provide users with information about the content of the field and the information being requested.
Word
If the content in most (but not necessarily all) cases is difficult for people with disabilities to understand, the Accessibility Checker gives a warning.
Rule
Accessibility Checker verifies
Why fix this?
Applies to these applications
Table has a simple structure.
Tables are simple rectangles with no split cells, merged cells, or nesting.
Users navigate tables via keyboard shortcuts and assistive technology, which rely on simple table structures.
Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, OneNote
Sheet tabs have meaningful names.
Sheets in the workbook include descriptive information and there are no blank sheets.
Descriptive sheet names, such as October sales totals, make it easier to navigate through workbooks than do default sheet names, such as Sheet1.
Excel
Sufficient contrast between text and background.
Colors of the text and background are different enough to make the text easy to see.
People with low vision often find it hard to read text that does not contrast with the background. If your document has a high level of contrast between the text and background, more people can see and use the content.
Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook
Closed captions are included for inserted audio and video.
All audio and video objects have closed captioning.
Without captioning, the information in a video or audio segment can be entirely lost to people with disabilities.
PowerPoint, OneNote
The reading order of the objects on a slide presentation is logical.
Objects on a slide are in a logical order.
Assistive technology reads slides and the elements on them in the specified order. If the reading order isnt logical, the content doesnt make sense.
PowerPoint
When there is content that people with disabilities can understand but that could be better organized or could be presented in a way that can improve their experience, you see a tip.
Rule
Accessibility Checker verifies
Why fix this?
Applies to these applications
The section names in a deck are unique.
The sections have unique names.
Section names enable users to navigate more easily within a large presentation in the Thumbnail Pane, Slide Sorter View, and Grid View.
PowerPoint
Slide titles in a deck are unique.
Non-blank slides have unique titles.
Users rely on titles to know where they are in the deck and to navigate the deck.
PowerPoint
Documents use heading styles.
Content is organized with headings and/or a Table of Contents (TOC).
Headings and TOCs provide structural context to users and enable navigation and easier searching in the document.
Word, Outlook, OneNote
The Accessibility Checker lists all pictures with an alt text generated by the Intelligent Services.
Rule
Accessibility Checker verifies
Why fix this?
Applies to these applications
Suggested alternative text.
All pictures whose alt text was generated by Office's image recognition service.
The Intelligent Services automatically generates alt text in your document (when the feature is switched on). Review each suggestion carefully to make sure it accurately describes your picture. If you want to edit the suggestion, type over the suggested text in the Description box.
To learn how to switch on this feature, refer to section "Turn automatic alt text on" inEverything you need to know to write effective alt text.
PowerPoint, Word, Outlook
There are some accessibility issues the Accessibility Checker isn't able to detect. Also, some issues listed in the Accessibility Checker findings aren't necessarily accessibility issues that need to be fixed.
See the rest here:
Rules for the Accessibility Checker - Microsoft Support
- WHO launches new initiative to tackle the main cause of vision impairment - December 19th, 2024
- Blindness Advocates on Why There Should Be Audio Description Oscars - Variety - December 19th, 2024
- Diabetic retinopathy is treatable and preventable but only if you catch it in time - USA TODAY - December 19th, 2024
- AI: Could it help prevent blindness in diabetics? - BBC.com - December 19th, 2024
- Health Officials Investigate Rare Form of Blindness Tied to Ozempic - Gizmodo - December 19th, 2024
- Ozempic Could Be Blinding People Trying to Lose Weight - VICE - December 19th, 2024
- What is retinitis pigmentosathe vision disorder in the movie Blink? - National Geographic - December 19th, 2024
- VR shows promise in aiding navigation of people with blindness or low vision - Health Tech World - December 19th, 2024
- Ozempic could be linked to a common cause of sudden blindness, study finds - Quartz - December 19th, 2024
- New virtual realitytested system shows promise in aiding navigation of people with blindness or low vision - Tech Xplore - December 19th, 2024
- Ex-meth user who gouged her own eyeballs out while high says she is happier years after nightmarish episode - New York Post - December 19th, 2024
- Officials investigating link between Ozempic and eye-rotting disease that makes people blind - Daily Mail - December 19th, 2024
- Youngster to 'have eye removed' after minor fall - but NHS waitlist 'over 3 years' - NationalWorld - December 19th, 2024
- Restoring Vision: The Promise of Stem Cells in Healing Blindness - This is Local London - December 19th, 2024
- COAVS and Fred Hollows Foundation strengthen efforts to combat blindness in Pakistan - 24newshd - December 19th, 2024
- Study finds link between Ozempic and increased risk of vision loss - The Express Tribune - December 19th, 2024
- Going blind at 33 is devastating I wont see my childrens faces as they grow up - The Telegraph - December 19th, 2024
- Europol terror report reveals stark blindness about where the danger lies - Gript - December 19th, 2024
- Elton John lost his vision; signs and symptoms of eye infections that can cause blindness - The Times of India - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John's battle with blindness: How 77-year-old star's husband David Furnish guided him around premiere as - Daily Mail - December 6th, 2024
- Experimental study shows connection between COVID infection and age-related blindness - Medical Xpress - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John confirms shocking blindness after severe infection fight: I havent been able to see.. - Hindustan Times - December 6th, 2024
- Yes, an Eye Infection *Can* Lead To Vision Loss Heres How - Katie Couric Media - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John Battling Partial Blindness After Serious Eye Infection - Digital Music News - December 6th, 2024
- CU Anschutz researchers working to cure blindness through total eye transplantation - 9News.com KUSA - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John lost his vision from an eye infection. Here's why that might happenand how to prevent it - Fortune - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John announces blindness due to infection - CBS19.tv KYTX - December 6th, 2024
- David Frost: I suffer from face blindness. As a politician, being unable to identify people is agony - The Telegraph - December 6th, 2024
- Hes still standing how Elton John has survived far worse than blindness - The Telegraph - December 6th, 2024
- Foundation Fighting Blindness Partners with University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Other Leading Institutions to Secure Up to $46 Million... - December 6th, 2024
- Walmart helping low vison and blind customers shop with new app - KSLA - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John Says He Is Blind In The Right Eye Due to An Infection; What Is It All About? - Times Now - December 6th, 2024
- Trumps Win: The Blindness of Republicans and Democrats - The Times of Israel - December 6th, 2024
- Heres every song on The Agency soundtrack - NME - December 6th, 2024
- Elton John's worrying health battles in full as he confirms blindness - The Mirror - December 6th, 2024
- Symptoms of serious eye infections after Elton John says he is now blind - LADbible - December 6th, 2024
- Shocking! Elton John Reveals Blindness After Severe Eye Infection: Havent Been Able To... - Republic World - December 6th, 2024
- Face blindness will be examined as part of new project - BBC - December 6th, 2024
- Make your Word documents accessible to people with disabilities - November 27th, 2024
- Make your Word documents accessible to everyone with Accessibility ... - November 27th, 2024
- Use color and contrast for accessibility in Microsoft 365 - Microsoft ... - November 27th, 2024
- Accessibility tools for Word - Microsoft Support - November 27th, 2024
- Everything you need to know to write effective alt text - November 27th, 2024
- Create or edit a hyperlink - Microsoft Support - November 27th, 2024
- Video: Check the accessibility of your document - Microsoft Support - November 27th, 2024
- Woman lives with unique condition that means she can still see where things are despite being blind - LADbible - November 27th, 2024
- Arrogance and inherent blindness: Civil probe slams Netanyahu for Oct. 7 failures - The Times of Israel - November 27th, 2024
- Are pistachios the secret to preventing blindness as you age? - The Times of India - November 27th, 2024
- AI is helping people with blindness navigate the world around them - Spectrum News 1 - November 27th, 2024
- Unraveling the Mysteries of Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment | Newswise - Newswise - November 27th, 2024
- The silent struggles of color blind students in the UK - News-Medical.Net - November 27th, 2024
- An ideal way to treat Indias corneal blindness problem - The Hindu - November 27th, 2024
- Elle Fanning Has Blush Blindness (and She's Not Afraid to Say It!)This $13 Product Is Key - Who What Wear - November 27th, 2024
- This simple nut is the key to fighting age-related blindness - The Economic Times - November 27th, 2024
- Morning Open Thread: To Lose in Ignorant Blindness What We Might Hold Fast - Daily Kos - November 27th, 2024
- The Murder Capital confirm details of third album Blindness - DIY Magazine - November 27th, 2024
- World report on vision - World Health Organization (WHO) - November 16th, 2024
- Eye care, vision impairment and blindness programme - November 16th, 2024
- $45,000 Raised to benefit SGML Eye Hospital near Ujjain, India for rural and underserved population to prevent blindness - The Indian Panorama - November 16th, 2024
- Foundation Fighting Blindness Funds 35 New Research Grants in FY2024, Renames Key Program to Honor Former Board Chair - PR Newswire - November 16th, 2024
- Fighting blindness with Love Tags - WFLA - November 16th, 2024
- Woman With Rare Disease Waiting For Blindness To 'Cure' Hallucinations - News18 - November 16th, 2024
- Color Blindness Market Is Anticipated To Grow In A Promising - openPR - November 16th, 2024
- Towards a truer vision of broader inclusivity - The New Indian Express - November 16th, 2024
- WHO launches first World report on vision - October 22nd, 2024
- Eye health, vision impairment and blindness - World Health Organization ... - October 22nd, 2024
- Onchocerciasis - World Health Organization (WHO) - October 22nd, 2024
- Eye care, vision impairment and blindness: Refractive errors - October 22nd, 2024
- Blindness Prevention and Control - World Health Organization (WHO) - October 22nd, 2024
- Onchocerciasis (river blindness) - World Health Organization (WHO) - October 22nd, 2024
- Trachoma - World Health Organization (WHO) - October 22nd, 2024
- Blindness is not a curse to be broken - America: The Jesuit Review - October 22nd, 2024
- Alfred University gives away two pairs of EnChroma glasses for color blindness - www.alfred.edu - October 22nd, 2024
- All the Plants We Cannot See - The Revelator - October 22nd, 2024
- ASI Power Summit 2024: How Blindness Helped Michael Hingson Survive the 9/11 Attacks - ASI - October 22nd, 2024
- People with blindness and their allies rally outside Uber and Lyft over ride denials - The Mercury News - October 22nd, 2024
- New Study Links Ozempic to BlindnessBut They Can Actually Protect Your Eyes - First For Women - October 22nd, 2024
- Conservatives Use Trump Assassination Attempt to Target Women in Anti-Diversity War - The American Prospect - October 22nd, 2024
- Google AI to help detect preventable blindness in India and Thailand - Techloy - October 22nd, 2024
- How blindness drove man to seek, spread solutions - The Star Kenya - October 22nd, 2024
Tags: