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Microsoft Excel - Make your Excel spreadsheet accessible
The following table includes key best practices for creating Excel spreadsheets that are accessible to people with disabilities.
What to fix | How to find it | Why fix it | How to fix it |
Include alternative text with all visuals and tables. Visual content includes pictures, clip art, SmartArt graphics, shapes, groups, charts, embedded objects, ink, and videos. | To find all instances of missing alternative text in the spreadsheet, use the Accessibility Checker. | Alt text helps people who can’t see the screen to understand what’s important in images and other visuals. Avoid using text in images as the sole method of conveying important information. If you must use an image with text in it, repeat that text in the document. In alt text, briefly describe the image and mention the existence of the text and its intent. | |
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. Links should convey clear and accurate information about the destination. For example, instead of linking to the text Click here, include the full title of the destination page. TIP: You can also add ScreenTips that appear when your cursor hovers over a cell that includes a hyperlink. | |
Give all sheet tabs unique names, and remove blank sheets. | 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. | |
Use a simple table structure, and specify column header information. | To ensure that tables don’t contain split cells, merged cells, nested tables, or completely blank rows or columns, use the Accessibility Checker. | Screen readers keep track of their location in a table by counting table cells. If a table is nested within another table or if a cell is merged or split, the screen reader loses count and can’t provide helpful information about the table after that point. Blank cells in a table could also mislead someone using a screen reader into thinking that there is nothing more in the table. Screen readers also use header information to identify rows and columns. |
Add alt text to visuals and tables
The following procedures describe how to add alt text to visuals and tables in your Excel spreadsheets.
NOTE: We recommend only putting text in the description field and leaving the title blank. This will provide the best experience with most major screen readers including Narrator. For audio and video content, in addition to alt text, include closed captioning for people who are deaf or have limited hearing.
Add alt text to images
Add alt text to images, such as pictures, clip art, and screenshots, so that screen readers can read the text to describe the image to users who can’t see the image.
Right-click an image.
Select Format Picture > Size & Properties.
Select Alt Text.
Type a description and a title.
TIP: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.
Add alt text to SmartArt graphics
Right-click a SmartArt graphic.
Select Format Shape > Shape Options > Size & Properties.
Select Alt Text.
Type a description and a title.
TIP: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.
Add alt text to shapes
Add alt text to shapes, including shapes within a SmartArt graphic.
Right-click a shape.
Select Format Shape > Shape Options > Size & Properties.
Select Alt Text.
Type a description and a title.
TIP: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.
Add alt text to PivotCharts
Right-click a PivotChart.
Select Format Chart Area > Chart Options > Size & Properties.
Select Alt Text.
Type a description and a title.
TIP: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.
Add alt text to tables
Right-click a table.
Select Table > Alternative Text.
Type a description and a title.
TIP: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.
Make hyperlinks, tables, and sheet tabs accessible
The following procedures describe how to make the hyperlinks, tables, and sheet tabs in Excel spreadsheets accessible.
Add hyperlink text and ScreenTips
Right-click a cell.
Select Hyperlink.
In the Text to display box, type the hyperlink text.
In the Address box, enter the destination address for the hyperlink.
Select the ScreenTip button and, in the ScreenTip text box, type a ScreenTip.
TIP: If the title on the hyperlink's destination page gives an accurate summary of what’s on the page, use it for the hyperlink text. For example, this hyperlink text matches the title on the destination page: Templates and Themes for Office Online.
Use headers in an existing table
Specify a header row in a block of cells marked as a table.
Position the cursor anywhere in a table.
On the Table Tools Design tab, in the Table Style Options group, select the Header Row check box.
Type column headings.
Add headers to a new table
Specify a header row in a new block of cells you are marking as a table.
Select the cells you want to include in the table.
On the Insert tab, in the Tables group, select Table.
Select the My table has headers check box.
Select OK.
Excel creates a header row with the default names Column1, Column2, and so onType new, descriptive names for each column in the table.
Rename sheet tabs
Right-click a sheet tab, and select Rename.
Type a brief, unique name for the sheet.
Delete sheet tabs
Right-click a sheet tab.
Select Delete.
Mac
Mac: Best practices for making Excel spreadsheets accessible
The following table includes key best practices for creating Excel spreadsheets that are accessible to people with disabilities.
What to fix | How to find it | Why fix it | How to fix it |
Include alternative text with all visuals and tables. Visual content includes pictures, clip art, SmartArt graphics, shapes, groups, charts, embedded objects, ink, and videos. | To find all instances of missing alternative text in the spreadsheet, use the Accessibility Checker. | Alt text helps people who can’t see the screen to understand what’s important in images and other visuals. Avoid using text in images as the sole method of conveying important information. If you must use an image with text in it, repeat that text in the document. In alt text, briefly describe the image and mention the existence of the text and its intent. | |
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 sheets in your workbook. | People who use screen readers sometimes scan a list of links. Links should convey clear and accurate information about the destination. For example, instead of linking to the text Click here, include the full title of the destination page. TIP: You can also add ScreenTips that appear when your cursor hovers over a cell that includes a hyperlink. | |
Give all sheet tabs unique names, and remove blank sheets. | 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. | |
Use a simple table structure, and specify column header information. | To ensure that tables don’t contain split cells, merged cells, nested tables, or completely blank rows or columns, use the Accessibility Checker. | Screen readers keep track of their location in a table by counting table cells. If a table is nested within another table or if a cell is merged or split, the screen reader loses count and can’t provide helpful information about the table after that point. Blank cells in a table could also mislead someone using a screen reader into thinking that there is nothing more in the table. Screen readers also use header information to identify rows and columns. |
Add alt text to visuals and tables
The following procedures describe how to add alt text to visuals and tables in your Excel spreadsheets.
NOTE: For audio and video content, in addition to alt text, include closed captioning for people who are deaf or have limited hearing.
Add alt text to images
Add alt text to images, such as pictures, clip art, and screenshots, so that screen readers can read the text to describe the image to users who can’t see the image.
Right-click an image.
Select Format Picture > Size & Properties.
Select Alt Text.
Type a description and a title.
TIP: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.
Add alt text to SmartArt graphics
Right-click a SmartArt graphic.
Select Format Shape > Shape Options > Size & Properties.
Select Alt Text.
Type a description and a title.
TIP: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.
Add alt text to shapes
Add alt text to shapes, including shapes within a SmartArt graphic.
Right-click a shape.
Select Format Shape > Shape Options > Size & Properties.
Select Alt Text.
Type a description and a title.
TIP: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.
Add alt text to PivotCharts
Right-click a PivotChart.
Select Format Chart Area > Chart Options > Size & Properties.
Select Alt Text.
Type a description and a title.
TIP: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.
Add alt text to tables
Right-click a table.
Select Table > Alternative Text.
Type a description and a title.
TIP: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.
Make hyperlinks, tables, and sheet tabs accessible
The following procedures describe how to make the hyperlinks, tables, and sheet tabs in Excel spreadsheets accessible.
Add hyperlink text and ScreenTips
Right-click a cell.
Select Hyperlink.
In the Text to display box, type the hyperlink text.
In the Address box, type the destination URL.
Select the ScreenTip button and, in the ScreenTip text box, type a ScreenTip.
TIP: If the title on the hyperlink's destination page gives an accurate summary of what’s on the page, use it for the hyperlink text. For example, this hyperlink text matches the title on the destination page: Templates and Themes for Office Online.
Use headers in an existing table
Specify a header row in a block of cells marked as a table.
Position the cursor anywhere in a table.
On the Table tab, select the Header Row check box.
Type column headings.
Add headers to a new table
Specify a header row in a new block of cells you are marking as a table.
Select the cells you want to include in the table.
On the Insert tab, select Table.
Select the My table has headers check box.
Select OK.
Excel creates a header row with the default names Column1, Column2, and so on.Type new, descriptive names for each column in the table.
Rename sheet tabs
Right-click a sheet tab, and select Rename.
Type a brief, unique name for the sheet.
Delete a sheet tab
Right-click a sheet tab.
Select Delete.
For more information, please visit the Excel help center.