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Guidelines for Google Workspace documents reflect general content guidelines, but the instructions for applying these recommendations are unique.

In this page:

1. Use an Accessibility Checker
2. Add File Metadata
3. Add a Heading Structure
4. Format Text for Legibility
5. Break Content into Lists
6. Write Descriptive Links
7. Add Alt Text to Images
8. Reading Order and Objects
9. Use High Color Contrast
10. Avoid Using Color Alone to Convey Meaning
11. Table Accessibility (“Pin Header Row”)

Finally, learn how to help students enable Google Docs Accessibility Tools.

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1. Use an Accessibility Checker

Google Docs does not have a built-in accessibility checker, but you can easily install the Grackle Docs add-on.

• How: Go to Extensions > Add-ons > Get add-ons and search for “Grackle Docs.”
• Function: It will scan your document accessibility issues and missing alt text on images.

While automated checkers won鈥檛 catch every issue, they are a great tool to have in your tool set and are a good reminder that we should be thinking about accessibility when creating or editing content.

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2. Add File Metadata

Google Docs does not have an “Advanced Properties” menu like Word. Instead, you must set the Document Title (Filename) and Language using these two steps:

1. The Document Title: A screen reader reads the Document Title (Filename) as the first piece of metadata.
   • How to do it: Click the filename at the very top-left of the screen (next to the blue doc icon) and enter a descriptive title (e.g., Orientation-Schedule-2026). Avoid generic names like Doc1.
2. The Language: This tells the screen reader which dictionary to use.
   • How to do it: Go to File > Language and ensure the correct language 鈥� e.g., English (United States) 鈥� is selected. This is the only “Metadata” field Google Docs currently supports within the document settings.

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3. Add a Heading Structure

Provide an outline of your document for better navigation using proper Heading styles. Many people incorrectly manually change the font and size to look like a heading without “updating” the style (tag). If you don’t do this, Google Docs might treat your text as “Normal Text” that just looks big, rather than a structural heading.

• Use Heading Styles: Highlight your newly formatted text, go to the Styles menu, hover over the heading level (e.g., Heading 2), and select “Update ‘Heading 2’ to match.”
• The “Outline” Check: Just as in Word, the Document Outline (found on the left sidebar) allows you to instantly “see” if your headings are working as you build. Use View > Expand tabs & outline bar to verify. If your headings don’t appear in the outline, they won’t be navigable for screen reader users.
• Use only one Heading 1 in your document.
• You can use multiple Heading 2, Heading 3.
• Keep things hierarchical: Don’t skip heading levels. Don’t go from a Heading 1 to a Heading 5.

Read more about identifying headings, lists, and tables.

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4. Format Text for Legibility

Format your text so that it is easier for your audience to read, and to be read in order.

• Use a sans serif font, setting line spacing to 1.5.
• Keep text left-aligned when possible to allow users to easily identify new lines.
• Keep font at a standard size or larger. For documents, that is 11-12pt.
• Avoid Justified Text: Never use “Full Justify” alignment. It creates uneven “rivers of white space” that make reading significantly harder for users with dyslexia or cognitive disabilities. Always stick to Left Align.

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5. Break Content into Lists, Where Possible

Browse your document to see if any paragraphs would be easier to read as a list. Lists make content easier to read by providing visual structure and highlighting key points.

• How to add a List: Use the Paragraph Panel to select a bullet or numbered list.
• Don’t use hyphens (-), asterisks (*), or manually typed numbers. Stick to official list buttons in the toolbar.

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6. Write Descriptive Links

Write link text so that it is unique, descriptive, and clear about where the link goes. If sharing documents for printing, consider including both a descriptive link and the full link text.

• How to edit Link Text: Highlight the text you would like to link. Right click > Insert link. Paste the link an click Apply.

Find additional guidance: How to Write Helpful Links.

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7. Add Alt Text to Images

Add alternative text for all non-decorative images to convey the equivalent information to someone who may not be able to see the image.

• How to add Alt Text: Right-click on image > Alt text to open Image Options toolbar on the right which has an “Alt Text” drop down with a textbox to “Describe the image.”
  • Keep it short and descriptive, like a tweet.
  • Don鈥檛 include 鈥渋mage of鈥� or 鈥減hoto of鈥�.
• Decorative images: Google Docs does not have a “Mark as decorative” checkbox. If an image is purely decorative, the best practice is to leave the Alt Text field blank or use a null tag (like “”) to signal to screen readers that it should be skipped.

For some examples, visit our page on alt text.

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8. Reading Order and Objects

Images and objects are “read” by screen readers in the order they appear on the page. To ensure they don’t interrupt content because they were added out of order:

• Avoid “Wrap Text” or听“Break text”: around images, which can break the reading order for screen readers.
• The “Inline” Rule: Always use the “Inline with text” instead to ensure the image is read where it’s placed.
• How to do it: Click the image and select the In line icon from the small toolbar that appears below it. This ensures the screen reader encounters the image in the exact spot you placed it in the text.

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9. Use High Color Contrast

Choose a color for your text and other elements that has a high degree of contrast against the background color.

• For most documents, use black text for the default white background.
• Avoid light text on light backgrounds and dark text on dark backgrounds, and avoid using red and green.
• Use a standard contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for most text.
• Stick to HCU Brand colors.
• How to check Color Contrast: You can test colors using the听.

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10. Avoid Using Color Alone to Convey Meaning

Avoid using color alone to convey meaning or emphasis (e.g., “the red text is urgent”)., as your message may be missed or misunderstood by individuals who can’t see color. Instead use color along with a secondary element, (such as shape or text differences) to ensure the meaning can be understood without the use of color alone.

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11. Table Accessibility (“Pin Header Row”)

• Pin Header Row: Google Docs recently added a way to signify header rows, though it is different from Word. Headers tell the screen reader (and the visual interface) that the first row should be treated as a label for everything below it. How to set the header:
  1. Right-click the top row.
  2. Select Table properties.
  3. In the sidebar that opens, expand the Row section and check “Pin header row(s)”.
• Avoid Complex Tables: If you must use a table, keep it extremely simple (no merged or split cells). For complex data, link to a Google Sheet (which has better table accessibility) or export the Doc to Word to properly tag the headers.