Understanding Table & List Accessibility

7 minute read

Last updated: Oct 2, 2026

Summary

Tables and lists help to simplify and organize information. Both tables and lists structure information so that it is easier to understand than reading through paragraphs of text.

Content is easier to scan.
Relationships between items are easier to identify.
Needed information is easier to find.

Overview

Tables and lists make information more scannable than the same content written as a paragraph of text. When content is scannable, it helps people to find needed information quickly and understand it more readily.

Tables are a valuable way of presenting large amounts of data to people and indicating relationships between the data. The rows and columns of a table’s visual structure help people scan large amounts of information.

Use the correct document or web formatting to create tables.
Well-formatted tables can efficiently present information about hundreds of related data records, making it easier for people to analyze large amounts of data.
Correctly formatted tables provide people using assistive technology the same level of understanding and efficiency when analyzing a table’s data.
Simple tables are best. Complex tables can be difficult for assistive technologies to interpret and generally slow everyone down. Instead, break them down into smaller, simple tables wherever possible.
Avoid the use of layout tables when possible. Websites should only use tables to display data, not for layout purposes.

Lists are a helpful way to group a series of related items. Lists make it easier for people to scan and understand this information quickly.

Use the correct document or web formatting to create lists.
Bulleted lists simplify sentence structure.
Numbered lists break complex processes into a series of steps.

Who is Helped

Tables and lists make information more accessible.

Structuring content with tables and lists benefits people with cognitive disabilities that impact language-related or reading skills, such as dyslexia.

Tables and lists help people who use assistive technologies such as screen readers gain a better understanding of the relationships between different aspects of information.

Data Tables

Tables are a useful way of presenting large amounts of data to people and indicating relationships between the data. The rows and columns of a table’s visual structure help people scan large amounts of information, quickly find what they need, and understand what they find.

People using assistive technologies rely on correctly formatted and coded tables to understand the table’s structure. Correct formatting lets someone who cannot see a table know that the information in row 20, column 3 is Jim’s phone number and not a random series of numbers.

Data tables are a great way to:

Compare large amounts of related groups (sets) of data.
Show the relationships between multiple sets of data.
Find and compare specific values across categories.
Help people filter out irrelevant information.
Help people navigate large collections of data.
Speed up scanning and reduce repetition of information.

Don’t use tables for:

Only one or two items; put them in the text instead.
Items in a series; use a list instead.

Well-formatted tables can efficiently present information about hundreds of related data records, making it easier to understand and analyze large amounts of data. This clarity is essential for people with cognitive and learning disabilities that impact reading skills. Information in a well-structured table is much easier to understand than reading the same information in a paragraph.

Sighted users can quickly scan tables to understand their structure and the relationships between data in the table cells. People using assistive technologies rely on correctly formatted tables to communicate this information to users. Incorrectly formatted tables prevent people using assistive technology from effectively navigating the table and add barriers to their understanding of its contents.

The method used to format tables will change based on the medium. For example, defining the table layout in a document is very different from coding a table for a website. However, the underpinning guidelines for correctly formatting a table remain the same:

Use tables for data, not for layout.
Choose simple tables over more complex ones.
Have either a row header, a column header, or both.
Use descriptive table headers.
Use captions to describe the table’s purpose.
Use summaries to describe the table’s structure.
Use visual styles to reinforce the table’s structure.

Complex Data Tables

Complex tables contain irregular structures and are often used to present a larger, more complex set of data and relationships. They can be difficult for assistive technologies to interpret, and generally slow everyone down. It is best to avoid using complex tables wherever possible. Instead, break them down into smaller, simple tables.

Complex tables are defined as tables that have more than one row header or more than one column header or both. They may also contain cells that span multiple columns or rows.

Tables with these structures are best avoided where possible as they can be difficult for people using assistive technologies or adaptive strategies to interpret. For example:

Screen readers typically read information linearly - from top to bottom, left to right - so when table structure is irregular, it can cause the information to be presented in an order that is incorrect or does not make sense.
Additionally, screen reader and browser support for complex table markup varies. This can make navigation of complex tables difficult for people who rely on screen readers and similar assistive technologies.
People with low vision who use screen magnification may have difficulty navigating complex tables. They may need to scroll extensively to see sections of the table, and can quickly lose track of their place.
Complex tables can also cause difficulties for users with cognitive disabilities, as the complexity of their structure can be difficult to analyze and understand.

Many users may find complex tables overwhelming and may not understand what is being presented visually. They increase cognitive load and generally slow all users down so it is always best to simplify tables wherever possible.

Layout Tables

Websites should only use tables to display data. Sometimes, however, websites must use tables to control the appearance of content on a page. These tables are called layout tables. When websites use layout tables, developers must code them so that assistive technologies can distinguish them from data tables.

Avoid using layout tables when possible. Websites should only use tables to display data, not for layout purposes.

In the early stages of web development, content was often arranged on a page using tables. However, developers now use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to control page layout. It is unusual to find layout tables in modern websites, but they are sometimes still used.

When layout tables are used, developers must code them so that assistive technologies ignore the fact that a table exists and only pay attention to its contents. This avoids confusion for people relying on assistive technology to understand the page’s content and structure.

Lists

Lists group a series of related items. They format text in a way that simplifies the content and lowers the density of text on a page. Lists make it easier for people to quickly scan and understand information.

Lists make it easier for people to scan a series of items. The native styling and structure of lists simplifies and organizes content to help people understand information.

Use lists to group a series of three or more related items.

Use ordered lists for information that follows a specific order, such as a series of steps to complete a task.
Use unordered lists for related information that does not follow a specific order, such as a shopping list.
Websites may also include menu lists for organizing menus and definition lists to organize glossaries or similar types of content.

Basic guidelines for lists include:

Use lists for a series of three or more related items.
Keep items in lists concise.
Use the correct document or web formatting to create lists.
Don’t use characters like asterisks or dashes to create the appearance of a list.
Keep to one phrase or sentence per list item if possible.
Avoid nested or multi-level lists if possible.
Limit multi-level lists to two levels if they are used.

Start each list item with the same:

word type (such as a noun or a verb)
tense (past, present, or future)
sentence type (such as instructions or a question).

Don’t use tables to organize lists.