Creating Lists
Lists are one of the simpler content elements to get right — when done correctly in Word, they export cleanly to PDF with proper list tags and require little or no remediation.
When a List Is the Right Choice
Use a list when:
- Items are genuinely parallel and can be expressed in a consistent format
- The order of items either matters (ordered list) or is interchangeable (unordered list)
- Items are brief enough to stand alone without extended explanation
When list items are long, multi-paragraph, or require significant context to understand, a list is often the wrong choice. Readers — including screen reader users — can lose the thread of content across a long list of complex items. In these cases, consider using headings and paragraphs instead, which provide better navigational structure and more natural reading flow.
When a List Is the Wrong Choice
A list isn't built to hold pages of content per item. Content can be perfectly related and sequential, such as a multi-part process or a set of numbered sections, and still be the wrong fit for a list once each item runs on for a page or more.
When a screen reader reaches a list, it announces the list and the number of items first, for example "list, 3 items." Users can then jump from item to item. That works for short entries. It doesn't work when each item holds a whole section of content, because the list structure no longer helps the reader find or move through that content.
A list also loses its value when it is "choppy": interrupted so often by long paragraphs, images, or other content that it starts and stops many times in the document. A list that breaks apart this way has little structural value to a screen reader user.
Rule of thumb: a list item should be readable in a sentence or two. "Bring a photo ID" fits. "Getting Started" followed by two pages of setup instructions doesn't. When the content is long but the order matters, keep the order with numbered headings (for example, "Step 1: Getting Started") instead of a numbered list. Headings give screen reader users a way to navigate directly to each part and give all readers a clearer outline of the document.
Use Word's List Formatting
Always use Word's built-in list formatting. Do not create the appearance of a list by typing hyphens, dashes, or asterisks followed by text, or by using Tab to indent items manually. These approaches create plain text in the PDF with no list structure — screen readers announce them as ordinary paragraphs, not list items, and users cannot navigate them as a list.
To create a list in Word, use the Bullets or Numbering buttons in the Home tab ribbon, or apply a list style from the Styles panel.
Nested Lists
Nested lists — lists within lists — are supported and transfer correctly to PDF when created using Word's built-in list tools. Use the Increase Indent button (or use the Tab key on your keyboard) to create a sub-level within a list.
Use nested lists sparingly. Deeply nested lists can be difficult to follow for all readers, and especially for screen reader users who must track multiple levels of hierarchy while listening to content read aloud.