Find and fix accessibility issues in the Doc or Slides you have open.
Alt text, headings, link text and colour contrast — each issue in a list with its location. Click one and the add-on takes you there. Built for the people who publish documents for a city, school district, library or clinic ahead of the April 26, 2027 ADA Title II date.
How it works
- Open a Google Doc or Slides presentation and choose Extensions → Access Check → Open Access Check.
- Click Check. Issues are grouped as Fix, Should fix and Check yourself, each with the WCAG success criterion and a one-line fix.
- Click an issue to jump to it — the paragraph, image or slide is selected. Fix it in the document and check again.
- Pro: type alt text, set a heading level or replace link text right in the sidebar, then copy a dated summary for your records.
What it checks
| Check | WCAG 2.1 | Docs | Slides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alt text on images | 1.1.1 | Inline images and drawings; floating images flagged to check yourself | Images, shapes with pictures, videos, grouped items |
| Headings | 1.3.1 | No headings, skipped levels, empty headings, bold lines that look like headings | — |
| Slide titles | 2.4.2 / 2.4.6 | — | Missing and duplicate titles |
| Link text | 2.4.4 | "click here", "read more", raw URLs, empty links | Same |
| Colour contrast | 1.4.3 | Text colour vs. page or highlight colour (4.5:1, large text 3:1) | Text vs. solid shape or slide background; pictures and theme colours flagged to check yourself |
| Tables | 1.3.1 | Each table flagged to confirm its header row | — |
| Reading order | 1.3.2 | — | Slides with several text boxes flagged to check yourself |
| Small text | advisory | Under 9 pt | Under 18 pt |
What it does not check
Google does not expose these to add-ons. They are listed under every result so you can review them yourself:
- Document language
- Whether a table's header row is pinned
- Alt text of floating (wrapped) images
- Reading order of floating objects
- Reading order (shown as "check yourself" only)
- Captions of linked videos
- Video captions
- Contrast of text over pictures or theme colours
- Text inside images
- Meaning conveyed by colour alone
- Tags in exported PDFs
Google’s own guide: Make your document, presentation, sheets & videos more accessible.
Deadlines at a glance
| Who | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ADA Title II — state and local governments, population 50,000+ | WCAG 2.1 Level AA for web content and mobile apps from April 26, 2027 | DOJ, compliance date extension (Federal Register 2026-07663) |
| ADA Title II — population under 50,000 and special districts | WCAG 2.1 Level AA from April 26, 2028 | DOJ, compliance date extension (Federal Register 2026-07663) |
| What counts as web content | Includes documents an entity posts or links for the public (e.g. Docs, Slides, PDFs), with exceptions such as archived content | DOJ final rule, 28 CFR part 35 subpart H (Federal Register 2024-07758) |
| HHS Section 504 — recipients with 15+ employees | WCAG 2.1 Level AA from May 11, 2027 | HHS, compliance date extension (Federal Register 2026-09266) |
| HHS Section 504 — fewer than 15 employees | WCAG 2.1 Level AA from May 11, 2028 | HHS, compliance date extension (Federal Register 2026-09266) |
| The standard itself | Success criteria such as 1.1.1 non-text content, 1.3.1 info and relationships, 1.4.3 contrast, 2.4.4 link purpose | W3C, WCAG 2.1 |
Collected from the Federal Register on 2026-10-27. Check the linked source; this is not legal advice.
Pricing
$0
- Unlimited checks, Docs and Slides
- Full issue list with WCAG references
- Click to jump to each issue
Pro · $29 a year
- Fix alt text, heading levels, link text and slide titles from the sidebar
- Copyable check summary (date, document, remaining issues)
- All Docs and Slides of one Google account
Guides
- ADA Title II 2027: do your published Google Docs and Slides need to meet WCAG 2.1 AA?
- How to write alt text in Google Docs and Slides (with examples)
- Google Docs and Slides accessibility checklist — what an add-on can and can't check
FAQ
Do Google Docs and Slides have to meet WCAG 2.1 AA?
Under the 2024 ADA Title II rule, state and local governments must make web content — including documents they post or link for the public — meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. After the 2026 extension, the date is April 26, 2027 for governments serving 50,000 people or more and April 26, 2028 for smaller ones and special districts. HHS set May 11, 2027 for Section 504 recipients with 15 or more employees. Sources: Federal Register 2024-07758, 2026-07663 and 2026-09266.
What does Access Check look at?
In Google Docs: alt text on inline images and drawings, heading structure (missing, skipped or empty headings, bold lines that look like headings), link text such as "click here" or a raw URL, text colour contrast against the page or cell background, small text and tables to review. In Google Slides: alt text on images, shapes and videos, missing or duplicate slide titles, link text, contrast against solid shape or slide backgrounds, small text, and slides whose reading order you should check.
What can't it check?
Google does not expose some settings to add-ons: document language, whether a table header row is pinned, alt text of floating (wrapped) images, reading order, video captions and PDF tags. Access Check lists these under every result as "not checked" so you can review them yourself. It is not a conformance certification.
Does my document leave Google?
No. The check runs inside Google Apps Script in your own account and reads only the document you have open (documents.currentonly / presentations.currentonly). The only call to our server is the Pro license check, which sends the key and your Google account email — never document text or images.
How is it different from other accessibility add-ons?
Each problem in the list has a location; click it and the add-on selects that paragraph, image or slide. Pro lets you type alt text, change a heading level or replace link text from the sidebar and check again. It asks only for the open document, not your whole Drive.
What does Pro cost?
Free gives unlimited checks with the full list and jump-to-issue. Pro is $29 a year for one Google account: fixes from the sidebar and a copyable check summary. Seller: SL Studio, not Google. Cancel any time; refund within 14 days of the first payment.
Checks only what the Google Docs and Slides add-on API exposes — not a WCAG or ADA conformance certification and not legal advice (disclaimer). Google Docs and Google Slides are trademarks of Google LLC. Access Check is made by SL Studio and is not affiliated with Google, the DOJ or HHS.