How to add headings to a document in InDesign
Video Guide
Today’s blog post grew out of a conversation with Colleen Gratzer and explores how to add accessible headings in Adobe InDesign.
This article is an outtake from my podcast episode with Colleen, where we focused on why designers should incorporate accessibility best practices during the production phase rather than as a last-minute fix at the end.
Why heading structure matters
Headings do more than organize content on the page. They create a logical structure that helps people navigate a document. Screen reader users can move between headings to find information quickly, making long documents much easier to use.
A clear heading hierarchy also improves the overall reading experience and supports accessibility standards for digital documents.
Start with Paragraph Styles
Paragraph Styles are the foundation of accessible headings in InDesign. Rather than formatting each heading manually, create a style for each heading level and apply it throughout your document.
For example, you might create styles for:
- H1: Main title
- H2: Section heading
- H3: Subsection heading
- Body text
Using styles keeps formatting consistent and makes future updates much easier.
Two ways to create heading styles
You can build your heading styles in the way that best fits your workflow.
One approach is to create the style before adding content. Define the font, size, spacing, and other formatting, then assign the style wherever you need it.
Another option is to format a heading first, create a Paragraph Style from that formatting, and later use the Redefine Style command if you make changes. This works much like Microsoft Word’s feature that updates a style to match the selected text.
Configure export tags
Creating a Paragraph Style is only part of the process. You also need to configure the style’s export tag.
The export tag tells InDesign how to identify the content when you export the document as an accessible PDF. For example, you can map a style to H1, H2, H3, or a paragraph tag.
Without the correct export tag, a heading may look correct on the page but fail to appear as a heading in the exported PDF.
Don't rely on automatic tagging
InDesign offers automatic export options, but they do not always produce the results you expect.
Style names such as “Chapter Start” or “H1 Small” may not automatically map to the correct heading level. If you have multiple styles that look similar or represent different design variations, automatic tagging may not interpret them correctly.
Assigning export tags manually gives you greater control and helps ensure the heading structure exports as intended.
Name your styles clearly
Clear style names make large projects much easier to manage.
Including the heading level in the style name helps you identify styles quickly and makes it easier to update heading levels later if the document changes.
For example, names like “H1 Chapter Title” or “H2 Section Heading” are much easier to understand than generic names based only on appearance.
Plan ahead for large documents
As documents grow, heading structures often change. A section that begins as an H2 may later become an H3, or new sections may require additional heading levels.
Setting up styles and export tags at the beginning of the project saves time and reduces the amount of work later. Clear naming conventions also make it easier to reorganize styles when revisions happen.
Compare InDesign and Microsoft Word
If you already work with Microsoft Word, you’ll notice some familiar concepts.
Both applications use styles to apply consistent formatting, and both let you update a style after changing its appearance. The key difference is that InDesign requires you to configure export tags so the document retains its semantic structure when exported as a PDF.
Best practices for accessible headings
Keep these recommendations in mind when creating accessible documents in InDesign:
- Create Paragraph Styles before building your document whenever possible.
- Include the heading level in each style name.
- Assign the correct export tag to every heading style.
- Apply styles consistently instead of formatting headings manually.
- Maintain a logical heading hierarchy from H1 through H6 and beyond as needed.
- Verify the heading structure after exporting the PDF.
Following these practices helps create documents that are easier to maintain and more accessible for everyone.
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!
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