Spreadsheet accessibility checklist for Excel and Google Sheets
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Whether you're working in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, inclusive working practices will help ensure your data can be accessed and understood by the widest possible audience.
Populate cell A1 of your spreadsheet with descriptive text
Place your document title, a brief summary of the data, or navigation instructions in cell A1.
When a screen reader accesses a spreadsheet, it typically starts in that cell. If the cell is blank, the user might assume the entire worksheet is empty or will have an increased cognitive load to understand how the spreadsheet is formatted and what kind of data it contains.
Here is an example of the content you could include in cell A1 of the first worksheet to make it more accessible:
"This workbook is called Annual Budget Overview 2026. It contains three additional worksheets called 'Revenue', 'Expenses', and 'Summary'. Data tables begin in cell A5 of each sheet."
Each of the three worksheet can contain further information in cell A1 to help the user understand and navigate the contents.
Give worksheets, or tabs, descriptive names
Rename each worksheet with a short, descriptive title.
To do this, right-click the worksheet tab, and select 'Rename'. This is important because assistive technology may read out the names of each worksheet.
The default names given to worksheets, such as 'Sheet1', do not provide users with any meaningful context.
Run the built-in accessibility checker for your spreadsheet
If you're working in Microsoft Excel, go to the 'Review' tab in the Ribbon and select 'Check Accessibility'. This tool automatically flags issues like missing Alt text or hard-to-read contrast.
If you are working in Google Sheets, turn on screen reader support by navigating to 'Tools' and then 'Accessibility' to optimize the interface for assistive tech.
Format data using built-in table styles
Putting a border around your data and adding colour may make your information look like a table, but it isn't one! For assistive technology to recognise content as a table, it needs to be formatted correctly.
In Excel, highlight your data and in the Ribbon, select 'Insert' and then 'Table'.
In Google Sheets, highlight your data and in the navigation bar select 'Format' and then 'Convert to Table'.
Then rename your table to have a unique and descriptive title.
Delete blank rows and columns
Empty cells make it harder for people using assistive technology to navigate your data.
Use alternative layout and formatting options to create space between columns and rows if you need to.
Do not 'Merge and centre' cells
Merged cells break the grid structure, making keyboard navigation unpredictable. Use the 'Centre Across Selection' option instead.
In Excel, highlight the cells you want the data to span, then press CTRL + 1 to enter the 'Format cells' menu. Select the 'Alignment' tab and in the 'Horizontal' drop-down menu, select 'Centre Across Selection'.
Be prepared to break complex data into more than one table to avoid merging columns and rows.
Verify colour contrast ratios
When applying background colours to cells, you need to make sure the colour contrast with your data remains accessible for people with low vision.
The same is true for any charts and graphs you include.
You can check whether your colours meet accessibility standards by using the WebAIM Color Contrast Checker.
Avoid relying on colour alone to convey meaning
Always add text alongside colour coding so users with colour vision deficiency can interpret your information. For example, if you use a RAG rating system (using Red, Amber, and Green to convey meaning) you should also include the words as well as the colours in the relevant cells.
According to Colour Blind Awareness, as many as 1 in 12 men are colour blind. For women the figure is 1 in 200.
Add Alt text to visuals
Add Alt text to all non-text charts and images.
In Excel, right-click the image, select 'View Alt Text', and add a description of the data trend.
In Google Sheets, select the chart and then click on the ellipses and choose 'Alt text'.
This is essential because screen reader users may not be able 'see' a chart; they need a textual description of the information it conveys.
Write meaningful link text
Write descriptive, clear hyperlinks instead of non-contextual phrases like 'Click here.'
Screen reader users often browse content by listening to a list of links. If the assistive technology reads a list of links that all say 'click here', they fail to provide meaningful context for your users. This is also a very frustrating experience for users.
Use sans-serif fonts
Select accessible sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Verdana, or Aptos and use a minimum size of 12pt. This makes it easier for users who have some forms of dyslexia, and those with low vision.
Left-align text
Keep your text left-aligned.
Centre-aligned or justified text creates uneven spacing (large blocks of white space) that can be difficult for users with dyslexia or low vision to track.
Use the Name Box to define data ranges
The Name Box is located next to the formula bar in both Excel and Google Sheets.
Use it to define named ranges for your data. To do this, highlight the section of data you want to define and type a unique and descriptive name into the Name Box.
This allows users navigating with screen readers to use the 'Go to' command to jump directly to specific sections of a large workbook without scrolling through hundreds of rows.
Add Data Validation information to drop-down lists
If you're using 'Data Validation' to create dropdown lists, add supportive help or hint text. This ensures that when a user selects the cell, a small tooltip appears (and can be read by screen readers) explaining exactly what data is required.
In Excel, select the "Input Message" tab. From here you can add a 'Title' and 'Input Message'.
In Google Sheets, select 'Advance options' in the Data Validation Rules pane. Then check 'Show help text for a selected cell' and you'll be able to add supporting information into the free text area.
Give your spreadsheet a descriptive name
Save your spreadsheet using a descriptive name. This will make it easier for users, and assistive technology to find.
Avoid using blank spaces, underscores, and punctuation in file names.
Remember, a user may have to speak the name of your file out loud, if they use voice recognition software. Likewise, assistive technology may read the file name out loud to your users. So keep the names consistent in format, unique, and helpful.
Save your spreadsheet in an accessible format
The person using your spreadsheet may not open it in the same programme as you use to create it.
Not everybody has access to software that they may need to pay for.
To overcome this potential barrier, provide your information in an Open Document Spreadsheet (ODS) format.
Takeaways
Making spreadsheets accessible doesn't require complex technical skills.
However, it does need you to consider a range of different factors such as adding descriptions, checking formatting and colour contrast, and providing machine readable landmarks.
With minimal time commitment, and a little practice you can ensure all spreadsheets you create in the future are more accessible.
