Google Docs Accessibility: A Comprehensive Review

Google Docs has improved its accessibility features, but how effective are they? Today’s post analyzes the latest tools, their functionality, and the challenges users face when creating accessible documents.

Video Guide

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Applying Headings for Structure

Users can apply headings in Google Docs with shortcuts:

• Ctrl + Alt + 1 for Heading 1
• Ctrl + Alt + 2 for Heading 2
• Ctrl + Alt + 3 for Heading 3

These headings create an outline structure visible in the left-hand navigation pane, making documents easier to navigate.

Adding a Table of Contents with a Drawback

Users can insert a table of contents by selecting Insert > Table of Contents, which creates clickable links to different sections. However, when exporting the document to PDF, the links do not retain functionality and require manual fixes.

Formatting Tables for Accessibility

Google Docs now includes options to improve table accessibility, such as a title row and a pinned header row. Users can adjust table properties to enhance readability. However, screen readers do not recognize table headers correctly, making it difficult for visually impaired users to interpret the data.

Enabling Screen Reader Support

Users must manually enable screen reader support in Google Docs:

• Open the Tools menu
• Select Accessibility
• Enable screen reader support

Google Docs also offers Braille support, which users can activate in the same menu. Testing with JAWS 2024 showed that headings read correctly, but tables do not function properly for assistive technology.

Exporting to PDF and Accessibility Challenges

When users export documents to PDF, some accessibility features remain intact while others do not. Headings and paragraphs retain their structure, but tables lose proper formatting, converting table cells into paragraph tags. Hyperlinks continue to work, but table of contents links break. Users must manually fix these issues in a PDF editor to maintain accessibility.

Evaluating Google Docs’ Accessibility

Despite improvements, Google Docs still has accessibility limitations. Structured headings, hyperlinks, and screen reader support work well, but table formatting issues and PDF export problems create barriers. Users relying on assistive technology must correct these issues before publishing documents.

Let me be your champion for inclusion. I offer tailored solutions (and self-paced courses!) to ensure your documents meet and exceed compliance expectations. For more detailed insights, tutorials, and in-depth discussions on accessibility and related topics, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel: The Accessibility Guy on YouTube. Subscribe for regular updates!