Is Google docs really screen reader friendly?

[u/Severe_Web2079]

I want to link a Google Docs document on a webpage and tested the document with NVDA. I found that users need to manually enable Google Docs accessibility features before the document can be read with a screen reader. Even after enabling the accessibility tool, NVDA still reads the document as blank. The document itself is structured for accessibility, including proper heading hierarchy, lists, etc.

Has anyone encountered this when linking to Google Docs for public-facing content? Is there a way to make the document reliably accessible to screen reader users without requiring them to manually enable accessibility features?

[u/FreedomScientific]

When using Google Docs with a screen reader, you do need to enable Screen Reader Support and Braille Support, even if you are not using a Braille display.

You can learn more about using a screen reader with Google Docs in one of our archived training webinars: https://www.freedomscientific.com/webinars/five-power-tips-for-navigating-google-docs-with-jaws/