Help
Set up
- In Google Docs or Google Slides choose Extensions → Add-ons → Get add-ons, search for Access Check and install it.
- Open the document or presentation you want to check and choose Extensions → Access Check → Open Access Check.
- Click Check. Checking is free with no monthly limit; the sidebar shows how many checks you ran this month.
- Read the list: Fix, Should fix and Check yourself, each with its location, the WCAG success criterion and a one-line fix.
- Click an issue to select that paragraph, image or slide in the document. Fix it, then click Check again.
- Pro: fix alt text, heading levels, link text and slide titles from the sidebar, and copy the check summary for your records.
Issues and how to fix them
| In the sidebar | Group | WCAG 2.1 | How to fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missing alt text | Fix | 1.1.1 | Describe what the image shows or does (select it → Image options → Alt text, or Ctrl+Alt+Y). Mark purely decorative images with a short note like "decorative". |
| Floating image — alt text not readable | Check yourself | 1.1.1 | Google doesn't expose alt text for floating (wrapped) images to add-ons. Check it yourself (Image options → Alt text), or set the image to "In line" and check again. |
| No headings | Fix | 1.3.1 | Use Format → Paragraph styles → Title / Heading 1 for the main title and Heading 2–3 for sections, so screen readers can navigate. |
| Skipped heading level | Should fix | 1.3.1 | Don't jump levels (e.g. Heading 1 → Heading 3). Use the next level down. |
| Empty heading | Should fix | 1.3.1 | Delete the empty line or set it to Normal text — screen readers announce empty headings. |
| Looks like a heading | Check yourself | 1.3.1 | If this short bold line is a section title, give it a Heading style instead of bold text. |
| Unclear link text | Should fix | 2.4.4 | Say where the link goes ("2027 budget report (PDF)") instead of "click here" or "read more". |
| URL used as link text | Should fix | 2.4.4 | Replace the raw address with a short description of the destination. |
| Link with no text | Fix | 2.4.4 | Add visible text to the link or remove it. |
| Low colour contrast | Fix | 1.4.3 | Darken the text or lighten the background: 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for text 18 pt+ (or 14 pt+ bold). |
| Contrast not measurable | Check yourself | 1.4.3 | The text sits on a picture or theme colour the add-on can't read. Check that it is easy to read against everything behind it. |
| Small text | Check yourself | advisory | Small text is hard to read. Consider at least 11 pt in documents and 18 pt on slides. |
| Table header row | Check yourself | 1.3.1 | Give the first row column labels and set it as a header row (Table properties → Pin header row). Add-ons can't see that setting, so check it yourself. |
| Slide has no title | Fix | 2.4.2 | Give every slide a unique title (use a layout with a title placeholder). Screen readers use titles to move between slides. |
| Duplicate slide title | Should fix | 2.4.6 | Make each slide title unique, e.g. add "(continued)" or "part 2". |
| Check reading order | Check yourself | 1.3.2 | This slide has several text boxes. Screen readers read them in the order they were added — check with Arrange → Order. |
| Video captions | Check yourself | 1.2.2 | Add-ons can't see captions. Make sure the video has captions (YouTube: turn on CC) and add alt text describing it. |
Not checked by this add-on
Google does not expose these to add-ons, so 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 guide: Make your document, presentation, sheets & videos more accessible.
Pro
- After subscribing, open the sidebar → Pro → paste the key (AC-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX) → Activate. The plan label shows the paid-until date.
- The key binds to the Google account you activate it on and works in all its Docs and Slides.
- The add-on re-checks the key about once a month; offline, Pro keeps working for 90 days.
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