Microsoft has added three document structure rules to the Accessibility Assistant in Word for Windows. The assistant flags text that only looks like a heading, sections without a heading, and headings that are spread across several paragraphs. The prerequisites are a Microsoft 365 subscription and Word version 2610, Build 20620.20002 or later.
The feature is rolling out to users gradually. The company reserves the right to suspend, adjust, or remove it after quality checks. Microsoft says nothing about Word on the Mac and on the web.
Which cases does Word flag?
The three rules are in the "Document Structure" section of the accessibility checker, in the English interface under Review and Check Accessibility. Microsoft does not say how the German interface translates the rule names.
- Missing heading: After a page or section break, three or more paragraphs follow without a heading.
- Visually formatted heading: Text looks like a heading, for example through bold formatting, but does not use a style such as Heading 1 or 2.
- Multi-line heading: Three or more consecutive paragraphs have the same heading style. Word recommends merging these paragraphs into one heading.
Purely visual formatting does not create structure. Screen readers do not recognize such headings, and the text passages do not appear in the table of contents or in Word's navigation pane. Real headings also matter for AI systems such as Copilot, writes Shireen Salma of the Office accessibility team at Microsoft.
What does the check do for everyday use?
In the German interface, you can start the check in the ribbon under "Überprüfen" with "Barrierefreiheit überprüfen", as the Microsoft support page describes. The pane sorts the findings into errors, warnings, and tips, and a click jumps to the affected spot.
Fixing headings in Word
How to proceed after a message from the assistant
- Start the checkReview, then Check Accessibility
- Click a findingWord jumps to the affected spot
- Assign a styleHeading 1, 2, or 3 in the ribbon under Home
- Cross-checkThe navigation pane under View shows the outline
The new rules apply only in Word for Windows and are rolling out gradually.
Sources: Microsoft 365 Insider Blog, Microsoft Support
This refers to documents in which subheadings are merely set in bold and larger type, such as a quote or a concept paper. You select the line and assign it a heading style in the ribbon under "Start". The line then appears in the navigation pane, which you display via "Ansicht", and an automatic table of contents picks it up.
The rule for missing headings only kicks in from three paragraphs after a page or section break; Word does not flag shorter passages. Whether the rule for multi-line headings exempts a title deliberately set across three paragraphs remains unclear.
What this means for you
It is best to first check whether your Word already has the feature: under "Datei" and "Konto" you will find the version number; 2610 with Build 20620.20002 or newer is required. If you run the check on an existing quote, an application portfolio, or a client concept, it quickly shows how many subheadings only look like headings.
If you build templates for clients or colleagues, assign a style to every subheading before passing them on. The recipients then see no messages, and screen readers read the file cleanly.
If you export a document as a PDF, Word carries over the styles as structure only as long as the option "Dokumentstrukturtags für Barrierefreiheit" remains switched on.
Microsoft presented the new feature on November 9, 2026, in the Microsoft 365 Insider Blog.
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