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Creating Accessible Learning

Why It Matters

Styles allows you to change the formatting of your text so that it’s not only visually different, but also programmatically tagged and able to communicate formatting with those using assistive technology. Consequently, users with disabilities can perceive the document and all its formatting in the way that makes sense to them.

Other benefits:

  • Format the same types of text (e.g., a section heading) over and over again with one click instead of having to select individual Font options each time.
  • Retain and transfer formatting and structure when you convert a Word doc to a PDF.

Everyone benefits from using Styles for formatting!

Accessibility Guideline: Styles

Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text. (WCAG 1.3.1; A)

Headings and labels describe topic or purpose. (WCAG 2.4.6; AA)

Using Styles

When we format text using the Font panel (for example, bold, italics, or font size), we only change the visual appearance of the text, and someone using a screen reader cannot perceive it.

In contrast, the Styles panel ensures text formatting is both visually and programmatically communicated through assistive technology (like screen readers) to those with disabilities, allowing them to perceive the text’s formatting in a way that makes sense to them.

Styles provides formatting templates that you can apply to any text. You can use Word’s preset Styles, update them to your liking, or create new ones from scratch.

Rule of Thumb: Use Styles if the text formatting is important to understanding and/or organizing and structuring the content.


The Styles pane is found on the Home tab of the Microsoft Word toolbar

You may access Styles through either the quick view drop-down menu or through the Styles pane. Both are located within the Styles section on the Home tab.

Opening Quick View Drop-Down Menu

To access the quick view drop-down menu, select the drop-down arrow to the right of the truncated Styles window.

Opening Styles Pane

To access the Styles pane, select the arrow at the bottom right corner of the Styles section.

View More/All Styles

  1. Open the Styles pane.
  2. Select “Options…”
  3. Select the drop down menu for “Select styles to show.” Select “All styles.” Sorting “As Recommended” is recommended.
  4. Select OK.

  1. Type your text and then highlight it with your mouse or keyboard.
  2. Open either the Styles quick view drop-down menu or the Styles pane (see “How To Open Styles” for more info).
  3. If you see the Style you want, select it.
  4. If you don’t see the Style you want:
    1. Open the Styles pane.
    2. Select “Options…”
    3. Select the drop down menu for “Select styles to show.” Select “All styles.” Sorting “As Recommended” is recommended.
    4. Select OK.

You may update any of Word’s template Styles so they match your desired formatting. There are 2 main ways of doing so.

#1–Update from Text

  1. Make sure the Style you want to edit (e.g., Normal, Heading 1, etc.) is visible in either the Styles drop-down menu or the Styles pane (see “How To Open Styles” for more info).
  2. Type your text and add your desired formatting. You may safely use both the Font and Paragraph sections to do this.
  3. Highlight the text with your mouse or keyboard.
  4. Open Styles using either the Styles drop-down menu or the Styles pane.
  5. Right click on the Style you want to update. Select “Update to Match Selection.” This will update the Style as well as all instances of it throughout the document.

#2–Update from Styles Pane

  1. Open Styles using either the Styles drop-down menu or the Styles pane (see “How To Open Styles” for more info).
  2. Locate the Style you wish to update. Right click on it and select “Modify.”
  3. Update the formatting as you desire. Note the “Format” box at the bottom left that contains additional options.
  4. Select OK. This will update the Style as well as all instances of it throughout the document.

It is not recommended to create new Styles from scratch unless you have an in-depth understanding of Style accessibility requirements. Specific settings are required per Style type in order to be recognized by screen readers.