Document Editing Problems

How to Mark Both a Table Row and Column as Headers for Accessibility

Ayan Masood Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to designate both the first row and the first column of a table as headers to meet document accessibility standards.

How to Mark Both a Table Row and Column as Headers

Product: Word Processor
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Structuring a data table in a document so that assistive technologies, like screen readers, can correctly identify and read the header information.
Observed behavior: Visually changing the text formatting (like bolding text) does not provide the underlying metadata required for true accessibility; specific header settings must be applied.

Before you start

Ensure your table is fully populated with data before applying header settings, and verify that the top row and left column contain the appropriate category labels.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable Header Row and First Column via Table Design

This is the most direct method to apply structural accessibility tags to your table's row and column headers using the built-in ribbon tools.

Applying visual formatting like bold text or background colors does not communicate header information to a screen reader. You must use the table's design properties to explicitly identify the header rows and columns.

Select the Table

Click anywhere inside the table you wish to modify. This action will reveal the Table Tools or Table Design tab on your top ribbon menu.

Open Table Design Options

Navigate to the 'Table Design' tab located at the top of the application window.

Mark the Header Row

Locate the 'Table Style Options' group on the left side of the ribbon and check the box next to 'Header Row'. This designates the top row as a table heading.

Mark the First Column

In the same 'Table Style Options' group, check the box next to 'First Column'. This identifies the leftmost column as a heading for the adjacent data cells.

Enable Header Row and First Column via Table Design

Accessibility Improved: Your table is now properly structured. Screen readers will successfully announce these headers as users navigate through the corresponding data cells.

Solution 2

Configure Header Rows via Table Properties

Use the Table Properties dialog if you also need your header row to repeat across multiple pages for long tables.

Accessible Document Editing

Easily Create Accessible Tables with WPS Writer

WPS Office features intuitive Table Design tools that allow you to instantly assign header rows and first columns, ensuring your documents are perfectly structured and accessible.

1. Insert your Table: Open your document in WPS Writer, go to the 'Insert' tab, and add your data table.
2. Access Table Tools: Click inside the table to automatically display the 'Table Tools' contextual tab.
3. Apply Header Settings: Check both 'Header Row' and 'First Column' in the Table Style Options to correctly format your table for accessibility.

One-click toggles for Header Row and First Column settingsFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) table formats and accessibility tagsLightweight application with a highly familiar ribbon interfaceFree to use for basic document formatting and editing

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't bolding the text enough to create a table header?

Screen readers and other assistive technologies rely on structural tags (metadata) to understand the relationship between data cells and their headers. Visual formatting like bold text only changes the appearance and provides no semantic meaning to accessibility software.

Can I set multiple rows as table headers?

Yes. If your table has a complex header that spans multiple rows, you can highlight those top rows, right-click to access Table Properties, and set them to repeat as header rows.

Will these header settings export correctly to a PDF document?

Yes. When you designate header rows and columns using the built-in table design tools, those structural tags are preserved and converted into PDF structural tags when exporting the document to an accessible PDF format.

Document & File Issues