Word Accessibility Checker

Word includes an accessibility checker that editors can use to double check your work and ensure that your document is ready to export into other formats. The accessibility checker in Word will not find all issues, but it will help you identify all of the following in Word:

  • Images without alt text
  • Tables without table headers
  • Color contrast issues

For a full list of items that are checked by the Accessibility Checker, please visit Microsoft's Accessibility Checker Rules Links to an external site. webpage.

Where to find the Accessibility Checker

To activate the accessibility checker, please follow these instructions:

  1. Select the Review tab
  2. Find and click Check Accessibility on the ribbon

Help image for finding the accessibility checker in word

The checker will open up a new editing interface on the right side of your document and list any issues detected by Word. In many cases, you can fix these issues directly from the checker interface, which makes document cleanup easier.

Checker editor interface

Remember to make using the accessibility checker part of the same process you use to check for spelling and grammar. Accessibility makes your document more usable by everyone.