| Avoid common accessibility issues such as missing alternative text (alt text) and low contrast colors. |
Use the Accessibility Checker. |
Make it easy for everyone to read your spreadsheet. |
Check accessibility while you work in Excel |
| Use a simple table structure for data only, and specify column header information. |
To ensure that tables don't contain split cells, merged cells, or nested tables, use the Accessibility Checker.
Visually scan your tables to check that they don't have any completely blank rows or columns. |
Screen readers keep track of their location in a table by counting table cells.
Screen readers also use header information to identify rows and columns. |
Create accessible tables |
| Add text to cell A1. |
Make sure that you have text in cell A1. |
Screen readers start reading any worksheet from cell A1. |
Add text to cell A1 |
| Include alt text with all visuals. |
To find all instances of missing alt text, use the Accessibility Checker. |
Alt text helps people who can't see the screen to understand what's important in images and other visuals. |
Add alt text to visuals |
| Add meaningful hyperlink text and ScreenTips. |
To determine whether hyperlink text makes sense as standalone information and whether it gives readers accurate information about the destination target, visually scan the workbook. |
People who use screen readers sometimes scan a list of links. |
Add accessible hyperlink text and ScreenTips |
| Use sufficient contrast for text and background colors. |
To find insufficient color contrast, use the Accessibility Checker.
You can also look for text in your spreadsheet that's hard to read or to distinguish from the background. |
If your spreadsheet has a high level of contrast between text and background, more people can see and use the content. |
Use accessible font format and color
Use an accessible template |
| Give all worksheets unique names, and remove blank worksheets. |
To find out whether all sheets that contain content in a workbook have descriptive names and whether there are any blank sheets, use the Accessibility Checker. |
Screen readers read sheet names, which provide information about what is found on the worksheet, making it easier to understand the contents of a workbook and to navigate through it. |
Rename worksheets
Delete blank worksheets |
| Name cells and ranges. |
Visually scan your workbook to see which cells and ranges would benefit from having a name. |
When you name cells and ranges, screen reader users can quickly identify the purpose of cells and ranges. |
Name cells and ranges |