Use a short, descriptive file name and document title

A unique, descriptive file name and document title helps individuals understand the general topic of a document.

Ensuring that the file name and document title describes the content or purpose of the document is beneficial to users of screen readers. It’s also good for search engine optimization efforts and file management.

File names and document titles, do you know the difference?

File names

Typically the file name is the first piece of information a user encounters when accessing a document. File names are what we see in our file explorer.

Tips for file names

• Use lowercase letters, underscores, and hyphens
• Do not use special characters (&$*) or spaces
• Avoid unfamiliar abbreviations
• Avoid “CamelCase” or mixing upper and lower case letters in file names

Document title

A document title is the first thing assistive technology will recognize and read after opening the document. It is what appears in browser tabs.

To add or edit a document title in Microsoft Office applications:

1. Click File
2. Navigate to the Info tab
3. Under the Properties header, edit the Title

Tips for the document title

• The title should should succinctly describe the purpose of the document.
• You can make it similar to the document’s descriptive file name.
• The title can include capital letters and spaces.

Example

In the following screenshot of a PDF open in a browser, the document title is highlighted in blue in the browser tab, “Minnesota State Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence”. This document’s file name might be “minnstate-bot-awards”.