How to make Word documents accessible

Diagrams include flowcharts, process maps, structure charts and infographics. They use images and text to show how things work or are organised.

Diagrams often use layout, colour, lines and arrows to convey meaning. This can help people engage with and understand complex information.

You must make your diagram accessible so it: 

• Is clear and easy to understand 
• Can be understood by people using assistive technology. For example, screen readers and tools that change text size, spacing or colour 

How to make diagrams accessible in Word

Design

When you design your diagram:

• Present information in a consistent, logical way 
• Keep it simple - try to stick to one idea per diagram
• Make all text horizontal
• Make it clear where the starting point is if it has one
• Avoid overlapping arrows or lines
• Use simple shapes - and as few different types as possible

Colour

You might use colour coding in your diagram. If you do, you must also use text, shapes or patterns to ensure that people who find it difficult to see colours can still understand it. Include a legend/key to explain what any shapes or patterns mean. 

You must also make sure any colour combinations you use have good colour contrast.

Formatting

Simple diagrams 

Simple diagrams can be fairly easy to make accessible if they:

• Include text - this must be formatted as text rather than part of an image 
• Include decorative images only - these are images that don't add information to the diagram 
• Don't include text boxes 
• Make sense when reading the text from left to right and top to bottom 

For example, the 'How to grow turnips' diagram in our accessible Word document example (Word doc, 1 MB) has arrow images and text. It makes sense when reading the text from left to right and top to bottom. The arrow images correspond with the reading order, so they don't add information to the diagram. They are marked as decorative.

Formatting a simple diagram in this way makes it more accessible for people using: 

• A screen reader. The screen reader would read out the text from left to right and top to bottom and ignore the decorative images. 
• Tools that change text size, spacing or colour to make it easier to read. These only work on text formatted as text rather than part of an image. 

Don't use SmartArt to create a simple diagram like this. This is because Word automatically formats text in SmartArt as part of the image. 

Visit our images accessibility page to find out how to decide if an image is informative or decorative, and how to mark images as decorative in Word.

Complex diagrams

More complex diagrams may have multiple reading orders or informative images. 

For example, you could read a structure chart in several different orders. It also has lines that explain how people relate to each other. 

You must format complex diagrams like structure charts as a single, flat image with a text description. 

To format your diagram as a single, flat image, you may need to: 

• Copy the diagram and paste it back into your document as an image (Microsoft Support website); or
• Save the diagram as an image, then insert it into your document; or
• Take a screenshot of the diagram, then paste or insert it into your document

You must make sure the image is good quality, so it remains clear and easy to use when a user zooms in up to 400%.

Then, you must provide all the information the diagram image shows in text format. Follow the 'How to provide a text description' advice on our images accessibility page.

Diagram alternatives

If you find it difficult to make your diagram accessible, consider these alternatives:

• Present information using clear structured text, including things like headings and bullet points etc. For example, like the text under the diagram on this accessible procurement flowchart page
• Present ordered information or instructions as a numbered list
• Present visual information using video - follow our video and audio accessibility guide.