Using heading styles in Google Docs helps ensure accessibility, improve organization, and maintain formatting when sharing or exporting documents. This guide explains how to update and apply custom heading styles in Google Docs, carry them over to Microsoft Word, and Adobe Acrobat.
Video Guide
Why Heading Structure Matters
Headings in a document serve as a roadmap for readers and assistive technologies. When you use proper heading levels, you create a clear and logical structure. Each level reflects a different tier of content.
- Use one Heading 1 for the document title
- Use Heading 2 for main sections
- Use Heading 3 and beyond for subsections
This structure improves navigation and accessibility, especially for users relying on screen readers.
How to Customize a Heading Style
You can modify the appearance of any heading in Google Docs. Here’s what we did in the companion video:
- Inserted heading text and applied a heading level using the Styles dropdown menu
- Changed the font to your preferred style
- Made the text bold and changed the text color
- Aligned the heading (centered, left, or right)
- Modified the spacing before and after the paragraph by selecting Format > Line & paragraph spacing > Custom spacing
At this point, your changes apply only to the selected text.
Apply Changes to All Headings
To update all headings of the same level throughout the document:
- Select the customized heading
- Open the Styles dropdown
- Click the arrow next to the heading level
- Select “Update Heading 1 to match”
This applies the same style to every instance of Heading 1 in the document.
Export to Microsoft Word
When you export your document to Word, Google Docs preserves the heading styles.
- Select File > Download > Microsoft Word (.docx)
- Open the downloaded file in Word
- Verify that the heading styles remain intact
This compatibility saves time and prevents the need to reformat in Word.
Export to PDF and Check Heading Tags
You can ensure PDF accessibility by checking that heading tags are correctly included.
- Select File > Download > PDF Document
- Open the PDF in a viewer that supports tag inspection (I use Adobe Acrobat)
- Open the Tags panel
- Confirm that headings appear as h1, h2, etc.
Although heading tags usually carry over correctly, minor issues may appear depending on document complexity.
Use Headings for Navigation
Google Docs allows you to use the heading structure for navigation.
- The left-hand document tabs display all headings in order
- You can jump directly to sections
- You can identify inconsistencies in structure
This feature improves usability and highlights accessibility issues early.
Save Custom Styles as Default
To reuse your custom heading and text styles in future documents:
- Go to Format > Paragraph Styles
- Click Options
- Select “Save as my default styles”
This sets your current styles as the default for all new documents you create in Google Docs.
Google Docs gives you simple tools to define, apply, and save heading styles. When used intentionally, these tools help you create more accessible, organized, and portable documents. By making these small changes, you improve your workflow and ensure your content reaches and supports a wider audience.
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!
