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
- 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
- As Glaucoma Rates Soar, Heres What to Know About This Progressive Condition - News Reports - October 22nd, 2024
- Heres how you can spot and prevent cataracts from causing blindness - SNL24 - October 22nd, 2024
- What Are the 7 Causes of Blindness? - Healthline - June 2nd, 2024
- Blindness and Low Vision | American Foundation for the Blind - June 2nd, 2024
- Eye care, vision impairment and blindness - World Health Organization (WHO) - October 27th, 2023
- CHOROIDEREMIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION EXPANDS RESEARCH SUPPORT INTO NONSENSE MUTATIONS OF A RARE INHERITED RETINAL - EIN News - May 1st, 2023
- Chennai eye hospital ties up with Iceland firm to adopt mathematical algorithm to predict diabetic retinopathy - The Hindu - April 23rd, 2023
- Drug-Resistant Bacteria Tied to Eyedrops Can Spread Person to Person ... - April 7th, 2023
- Prevention of Blindness Week 2023: Mumbai experts explain why you should be concerned about glaucoma and the need for regular eye checkups -... - April 7th, 2023
- Childhood blindness - Wikipedia - February 24th, 2023
- FDA Approves Syfovre (pegcetacoplan injection) for the Treatment of ... - February 24th, 2023
- Human mini brains illuminate path to curing blindness - February 16th, 2023
- Raymond V. Gilmartin: Man with a global vision - February 16th, 2023
- Why Are People So Mad About MrBeast's Blindness Video? - February 16th, 2023
- This heartwarming video of a colorblind boy seeing color for the first time will make you cry - Indiatimes.com - February 16th, 2023
- Blindness (Vision Impairment): Types, Causes and Treatment - February 8th, 2023
- CDC urges people to stop using brand of artificial tears linked to ... - February 8th, 2023
- Health News Roundup: U.S. FDA says India-made eye drop linked to some infections, blindness and one death; China records 3,278 COVID-related deaths... - February 8th, 2023
- I had two strokes at 29 and gone blind -I've been accused of faking my sight loss - Daily Mail - February 8th, 2023
- Blindness and vision impairment - World Health Organization - January 23rd, 2023
- Recovery from blindness - Wikipedia - January 23rd, 2023
- Colour blindness tests, juggling, avoiding glare: A hockey goalkeepeers quest to train his biggest weapon, eyes - The Indian Express - January 23rd, 2023
- But Did You See the Gorilla? The Problem With Inattentional Blindness ... - October 15th, 2022
- Canadians unaware of diseases that lead to blindness, survey says - CTV News Northern Ontario - October 15th, 2022
- A Review of Corneal Blindness: Causes and Management - Cureus - October 15th, 2022
- A cure for blindness may be first product made in space - Freethink - October 15th, 2022
- Is MrBeast trying to cure 1000 people's blindness? - indy100 - October 15th, 2022
- Early detection and management is the key to prevent glaucoma related blindness: Experts - Express Healthcare - October 15th, 2022
- As World Sight Day Nears, River Blindness is Fading - SaportaReport - October 15th, 2022
- Tears of happiness: How curing blindness in Dolakha saved a girls future - City A.M. - October 15th, 2022
- World Sight Day: Orbis, UC Davis team up to train eye care teams from Latin America to fight avoidable blindness - Ophthalmology Times - October 15th, 2022
- Juan Williams: The GOPs epidemic of intentional blindness - The Hill - October 15th, 2022
- Charles pays tribute to Malawi's elimination of disease causing blindness - Express & Star - October 15th, 2022
- Coping with calamity: Former NYT columnist Frank Bruni on blindness and vision, at Morristown book fest keynote - Morristown Green - October 15th, 2022
- Sighting solutions in a world of vision for weavers - The New Indian Express - October 15th, 2022
- Blindfold run raises $40,000 for the MUHC Foundation to support glaucoma care at the MUHC - StreetInsider.com - October 15th, 2022
- MacKenzie Scott Donates $15M to Address the Eyecare Needs of the Impoverished - InvisionMag - October 15th, 2022
- Astellas and MBC BioLabs Announce Astellas Future Innovator Prize to Help Biotech Start-ups Accelerate Early Drug Discovery and Research Efforts -... - September 20th, 2022
Tags: