Word Accessibility Checker and Copilot in 2026: Make Every Document Inclusive and Compliance-Ready

Creating accessible documents isn't just good practice in 2026 — it's increasingly a legal requirement across industries. Whether you're publishing internal HR policies, client-facing reports, or government submissions, Word's Accessibility Checker paired with Copilot can guide you from 'technically functional' to fully WCAG-compliant in minutes. Here's everything you need to know.

Why Accessibility Matters More Than Ever in 2026

Accessibility standards have tightened globally. The European Accessibility Act took full effect, US federal agencies now require Section 508 compliance on all distributed documents, and many corporations have added accessibility audits to their vendor procurement checklists.

Beyond compliance, accessible documents simply communicate better. Alt text helps screen reader users and also improves searchability. Proper heading structure makes navigation easier for everyone. High contrast text is easier to read in bright light on any screen.

Running the Word Accessibility Checker

The Accessibility Checker has been in Word for years, but most users have never opened it. Here's how:

1. Go to Review → Check Accessibility (or File → Info → Check for Issues → Check Accessibility)2. A panel opens on the right showing Errors, Warnings, and Tips3. Click any issue to jump to that element in the document4. Each issue includes an explanation and a suggested fix

Common issues the checker flags:- Images missing alternative text- Tables with no header row defined- Text with insufficient colour contrast- Documents with no defined heading structure- Links with generic text like 'click here'- Blank cells used for layout in tables

Using Copilot to Generate Alt Text

Alt text for images has always been the most tedious accessibility fix. In 2026, Copilot handles it automatically.

Right-click any image → Edit Alt Text → Copilot will suggest a description based on visual analysis. You can accept, edit, or ask Copilot to regenerate with a different tone:

– 'Make this description more concise'- 'Focus on the data shown in this chart'- 'Describe this diagram for a non-technical audience'

For decorative images (logos, dividers, ornamental borders), check the 'Mark as decorative' box instead of adding alt text. Screen readers will skip these entirely, which is the correct behaviour.

Fixing Heading Structure with Copilot

Proper heading structure is the backbone of an accessible document — it's how screen reader users navigate long files. If your document uses bold text instead of Word's built-in Heading styles, the Accessibility Checker will flag it.

Ask Copilot in the sidebar:'Apply proper Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3 styles to the section titles in this document.'

Copilot will identify likely headings based on context and apply the correct styles. Review its suggestions and approve or adjust. Once headings are applied, the Navigation Pane (View → Navigation Pane) shows your document structure at a glance.

Improving Link Text with Copilot

Generic link text like 'click here' or 'read more' fails accessibility because screen reader users often tab through links without reading surrounding context. Every link should be self-descriptive.

Select a link with poor text → right-click → Edit Hyperlink → change the display text.

Better: ask Copilot in the sidebar:'Find all links in this document that use generic text and suggest meaningful replacements.'

Copilot reads the surrounding context and proposes descriptive alternatives like 'Download the Q1 2026 Financial Report (PDF)' instead of 'click here'.

Table Accessibility: Header Rows and Reading Order

Tables are tricky for screen readers when they lack defined header rows. In Word:

1. Click inside your table2. Go to Table Design → check Header Row3. Right-click the top row → Table Properties → Row tab → check 'Repeat as header row at the top of each page'

Avoid merged cells in data tables — they break the programmatic reading order. If you need merged cells for visual design, ask Copilot to reformat the table:'Reformat this table to remove merged cells while preserving the data layout.'

Also avoid blank rows or columns used for spacing — use cell padding (Table Properties → Cell) instead.

Colour Contrast and Font Choices

Word's Accessibility Checker flags text with a contrast ratio below 4.5:1 (WCAG AA standard). Common violations include light grey text on white, yellow text on white, or dark text on dark coloured cell backgrounds.

To fix: select flagged text → Home → Font Color → choose a darker shade.

For body text, stick to colours that achieve at least 4.5:1 contrast against the background. Tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker (free, browser-based) let you test combinations quickly.

Font choice: use sans-serif fonts (Aptos, Calibri, Arial) for body text. Avoid decorative fonts in data tables. Keep minimum body font size at 11pt for print, 12pt for screen-primary documents.

Exporting Accessible PDFs

When you're done fixing issues in Word, export to PDF carefully:

File → Save As → PDF → Options → check 'Document structure tags for accessibility'

Do NOT use the Print to PDF option — it strips all accessibility tags. Use Save As PDF only.

After exporting, run Adobe Acrobat's Accessibility Checker (if available) or the free PAC 2024 tool to verify the PDF meets PDF/UA standards.

Conclusion

Accessibility compliance isn't a one-time fix — build it into your document workflow from day one. Use Heading styles instead of bold text, add alt text to every meaningful image as you insert it, and run the Accessibility Checker before sharing any document externally.

With Copilot handling the most tedious tasks — alt text generation, link rewording, heading detection — there's no longer any excuse for shipping an inaccessible document.

Check out our Word Styles guide (post 034) for a deep dive into building a heading structure that works for both accessibility and visual design.