# WordToEPUB

> Free Word plugin from the DAISY Consortium that converts DOCX into accessible, screen-reader-friendly EPUB, HTML, and Kindle files.

Source: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/wordtoepub
Website: https://daisy.org/activities/software/wordtoepub/
Category: Formatting & Layout (https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting)
Pricing: free — $0
AI-powered: no
Tags: conversion-tool, free, accessibility, docx, epub, word-plugin, nonfiction
Last verified: 2026-07-01
Best For: Accessibility-conscious authors who want semantically correct, screen-reader-friendly EPUBs straight from Word
Formats Supported: docx, epub, html
Platform: windows
Tool Type: conversion-tool

WordToEPUB is a free tool from the DAISY Consortium, the accessibility nonprofit behind the EPUB accessibility standards. It installs as a Windows add-in and converts a Word document into a clean, semantically structured EPUB with proper headings, alt-text prompts, and screen-reader-friendly markup — the kind of output that usually takes manual cleanup after a generic conversion. For nonfiction and educational authors who care about accessibility (and about meeting store accessibility requirements), it's a genuinely distinct option.

## Why Authors Use It

- **Best for:** Accessibility-conscious authors, especially nonfiction and educational writers who want a well-structured, screen-reader-friendly EPUB with minimal manual fixing
- **Accessible by default:** Preserves heading structure, prompts for alt text, and produces EPUB that follows DAISY's accessibility guidance out of the box
- **Built-in validation:** Integrates EPUBCheck and DAISY's Ace accessibility checker so you can confirm the file is clean before publishing
- **Flexible input:** Works from Word, and from Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer, or Apple Pages exported to DOCX; can also convert EPUB back to Word
- **Completely free:** Distributed at no cost by a respected nonprofit, funded to improve reading accessibility

## Limitations

- **Windows only:** Requires Microsoft Word on Windows 7 through 11; no Mac or Linux build
- **Slow release cadence:** Actively distributed and documented by DAISY, but major numbered releases are infrequent
- **Not a layout tool:** It produces reflowable, accessible EPUB — not designed print interiors or fixed-layout books

## Alternatives

- **Calibre** (free) — broader format conversion, but its output typically needs more manual accessibility cleanup
- **Pandoc** (free) — cross-platform and scriptable, though tuning accessible output takes more effort