Using accessible tables in documents

This blog is written by Heather Pennington and Alex Stewart from the Learning and Teaching Academy.

Tables are often the quickest way to present information, whether you’re summarising findings, comparing options, or laying out a timetable. But without a bit of care, tables can become difficult for some users to navigate, especially for colleagues and students using screen readers or keyboard‑only navigation.

The good news? A few simple habits can make tables far more accessible and inclusive. Here are some practical tips you can start using straight away.

Use headers effectively

Clear headers make a table much easier to understand for everyone. They also allow screen readers to read out the structure accurately.

To make your tables more accessible:

• Use column and row headers to label information clearly.
• Apply built‑in header formatting (e.g. Header Row in Word/Excel) rather than manually bolding text.
• Keep header wording short and descriptive.

These small steps make a big difference for users relying on screen readers to understand the context of the data.

Avoid merged cells

While merged cells can appear visually tidy or helpful for grouping related data, they may inadvertently affect the usability and accessibility of tables particularly for those using assistive technologies. For example, merged cells:

• May lead screen readers to misinterpret the table’s structure, potentially skipping important content or reading it out of order.
• Can complicate keyboard navigation, especially for users who rely on tabbing through cells to move efficiently across a table.

Instead, to support clarity and accessibility, stick to a clean, grid‑like layout with consistent rows and columns. If you need to group information, consider using a short explanatory note above or below the table instead of merging cells

Add captions and context

A caption helps users understand why the table is there and what they should take from it.

A useful caption should:

• Summarise the purpose of the table.
• Explain how it connects to the surrounding content.

Additional tips for Inclusive practice

• Check colour and contrast. Ensure text stands out clearly from the background for readability. (For more information on this see our blog post ‘Don’t skip the small print: Tips for accessible fonts and text sizes ’)
• Avoid using colour alone to convey meaning. Always combine colour with labels, patterns, or text. (For more information on this see our blog post ‘Not just pretty colours: Using colour and contrast inclusively’)
• Test your table. Use screen readers or built‑in accessibility checkers to identify issues early. (For more information on this see our blog post ‘Using Read Aloud/Text to Speech to Support Accessible and Inclusive Content’)

Further support

Microsoft Guide on Accessible Tables offers practical, clear, step‑by‑step instructions for improving table layout in Word and other Office tools.

Designing accessible tables is a simple way to support inclusive practice. Even small changes, like adding headers or re‑thinking merged cells, can make content significantly easier to navigate for all learners

Need help?

For more tips on enhancing accessibility explore the Digital Accessibility Guide today and put accessibility and inclusion at the heart of your teaching and learning this year.

Contact us

If you’d like further support or have suggestions for future blog topics, please get in touch with the Learning and Teaching Academy at [email protected].