Captions and PDFsMaking PDFs, documents, video and audio work for everyone
Chapters (8)
  1. Why PDFs, documents and media need their own care
  2. Making a PDF accessible with tags, reading order and bookmarks
  3. Building Word files that turn into good PDFs
  4. Slide decks that turn into good PDFs
  5. Captions, subtitles and transcripts: what's the difference?
  6. When does a video need audio description?
  7. How to check a PDF for accessibility problems
  8. How to check a video or podcast for accessibility

Building Word files that turn into good PDFs

Last reviewed

Quick take

  • A PDF made from Word is only as good as the Word file.
  • Use the built-in Heading styles, not big bold text.
  • Add alt text to pictures. Keep tables simple.
  • Run the Accessibility Checker before you export.

Why the Word file matters

When you export a Word file as a tagged PDF, the program reads your document's structure and turns it into tags. Microsoft says it uses what the Accessibility Checker found to create the accessibility tags.[1] So the cleaner the Word file, the better the tags.

A checklist with five ticked lines: real heading styles, alt text on pictures, simple tables with a header row, links that make sense alone, and nothing vital only in a header or footer.
Five things to check in a Word file before you export it.

Use real headings

Make a heading by picking a style from the Styles gallery, such as Heading 1 or Heading 2. Don't just make a line bigger and bolder. That only changes how it looks.

Microsoft advises using built-in headings and styles.[2] It also says a logical heading order and Word's own formatting tools help screen readers read the document.[2] Logical order means no jumping from Heading 1 straight to Heading 4.

Two boxes with the words Our prices. The left one is only big bold text. The right one uses the Heading 2 style and is a real heading.
A real heading uses a heading style, not just big text.

Real headings also feed the bookmarks you read about in making a PDF accessible.

Describe pictures

Alt text is a short written description of a picture. Screen readers read it out. It helps people who can't see the screen understand what matters in an image.[2]

A chart of last year's sales, for example, needs alt text that says what the chart shows. A purely decorative border does not need a description.

Keep tables simple

Screen readers find their place in a table by counting cells.[2] A merged or split cell throws off the count. So Microsoft says: if you must use a table, keep it simple. Hold data only, and mark the header row.[2]

Two small tables. The left has a header row (Day, Open, Close) and one value in each cell. The right has a merged cell across a row, which is harder for a screen reader to follow.
Keep tables simple and give them a header row.
  • Links. People who use screen readers sometimes scan a list of links.[2] "Read our opening hours" works. "Click here" doesn't.
  • Color. Don't let color be the only way you show something.[2] "Overdue items are in red" leaves some readers behind. Add the word "Overdue".
  • Headers and footers. Screen readers don't scan the Header and Footer areas, so people miss what's there.[2] Put the vital facts in the main text.

Run the checker

The Accessibility Checker is a tool in Word that flags problems and explains each one.[2] To start it yourself, choose Review, then Check Accessibility.[2] Fix what it lists. Then export.

Slide decks have their own traps. See slides that convert well.

Sources

  1. Create accessible PDFs, Microsoft Support (accessed 2026-11-10)
  2. Make your Word documents accessible to people with disabilities, Microsoft Support (accessed 2026-11-10)