How to make Word documents accessible

You must make sure your graph or chart is accessible, so no one misses out on important information.

How to make graphs and charts accessible in Word

If you include a graph or chart in your Word document, make sure it:

• Has a title - visible text positioned above the image
• Has a legend/key - this should explain what any colours or patterns mean
• Has axis labels - if the image has axis, they must have visible text labels
• Has data labels - visible text showing the data type and volume
• Has a text description - see the 'How to provide a text description' heading on our images accessibility page
• Is formatted as a single, flat image. To do this you might need to:
  • Copy the graph/chart and paste it as an image (Microsoft Support website); or
  • Save the graph/chart as an image, then insert it into your Word document; or
  • Take a screenshot of the graph/chart, then paste or insert it into your document

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

Using colour in graphs and charts

If you use colour to convey meaning (for example, by using a key), you must use patterns and/or text to ensure that people who find it difficult to see or differentiate between colours can still understand it.

You must also make sure any colour combinations you use meet colour contrast requirements. Be aware that many Word built-in graph and chart colour themes do not meet colour accessibility requirements - so check them before you use them.

Example of an accessible graph:

Example of an accessible pie chart: