How do I make an Excel sheet accessible?

How do I check to see if my Excel sheet is accessible? 

Learn more about the Microsoft accessibility checker. 

  1. In the Review ribbon, select Check Accessibility. 

  2. Review and remediate any found issues in the Inspect pane. 

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Add a title. 

Your title is added in the metadata of your document and is separate from your save title. 

On Mac: 

  1. In the top menu, select File. 
  2. Select Properties. 
  3. Select Summary. 
  4. Add your title. 

On Windows: 

  1. In the top menu, select File. 
  2. Select Info. 
  3. Add your title. 

Add alt-text to any images and graphics. 

Alt text is important because it ensures that images are accessible to people who use screen readers. All images will need to have alt text added. Learn more about alt text.

Add alt text to images: 

  1. Select your image.
  2. In the Picture Format ribbon, select Alt Text.
  3. Add your alt-text in the opened pane.

Screenshot of an arrow in Excel pointing toward the "alt text" button in the "Picture" ribbon.

Tip: 

Toggle 'Mark as decorative' if the image is only for decorative purposes.

Make sure your links are descriptive and meaningful. 

Let your user know where they are going when they select a link by giving it meaningful link text. Learn more about descriptive links.

Change your link text: 

  1. Select the cell with your link. 
  2. Select the Insert ribbon, then select Link
  3. In the Edit Hyperlink pane, edit the 'Text to Display' to your descriptive link text. 
  4. Select OK. 

Screenshot of the Edit Hyperlink pane in Excel.

Tip: 

Don't use 'Click Here' or 'Read More' for your link text. These are not descriptive and don't tell users where they are going. 

Check your color and color contrast. 

Images and text are required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards.Learn more about color and color contrast

Recommended Resources: 

Tip: 

Some established templates in Excel do not meet color contrast requirements. Confirm your colors meet minimum contrast ratios if you are using pre-made templates provided in Excel. 

Add text to cell A1. 

This makes it easier to navigate a sheet with a screenreader. 

Label all sheets with a unique, descriptive name. 

By adding descriptive names to your sheets, you are making it easier for all users to understand your information and navigate the file. 

Update your sheet name: 

  1. Select your sheet name. 
  2. Update your sheet name to a descriptive label. 

Screenshot of an edited sheet label in Excel.

Tip:

Avoid sheet names like "Sheet1" or "Unnamed", since these don't provide much content to users. 

Add column headers to your tables. 

By adding column headers, you are making it easier for users to navigate through your table. 

Create a table with a heading row: 

  1. Select Insert > Table.
  2. Insert your table deminsions. 
  3. Check 'My table has headers'.
  4. Select OK. 

Screenshot of the Create a Table panel in Excel. The "My table has headers" checkbox is selected.

Add a header row to an established table: 

  1. Select your table. 
  2. Select the Table ribbon. 
  3. Check the "Header Row" box. 

Screenshot of the Table ribbon in Excel. An arrow points toward the Table button and the Header Row checkbox.

Keep your data organized and clearly labeled. 

Tips:

  • Keep one table or graphic per sheet and remove any blank sheets to avoid confusion.
  • Keep your tables as simple as you can.
  • Avoid blank rows and cells, and avoid merged cells, since these can be difficult for some users to navigate. 
  • Add additional explination for formulas and data columns. 

More resources