Microsoft PowerPoint Accessibility Checker
The Microsoft PowerPoint Accessibility Checker is a very helpful tool. Choose Review > Check Accessibility to open the Accessibility ribbon to see several useful ways to check your presentation.
From the Accessibility ribbon, you can click “Check Accessibility” to open the Accessibility pane and check your entire presentation. In that pane, it’s best to check the box “Keep accessibility checker running while I work.” With that box checked, you’ll always see an Accessibility status showing in the status bar at the bottom of the PowerPoint window.
Content structure
Title each slide
Provide a unique title for every slide. If you have the Accessibility ribbon open, you can click “Slide Title” to add or edit the title for each slide. You can find several other ways to add and/or review slide titles for your presentation in this Microsoft Support article: Title a slide.
Sometimes, you may not want your slide title to show up visually on your slide. To do that, follow the instructions to Hide a slide title.
Check reading order
Make sure that screenreader software will read the contents of your slide in a logical sequence. If you use one of PowerPoint’s predesigned slide designs without modification, the logical reading order should match the visual layout.
To check the reading order, open the Accessibility ribbon (Review > Check Accessibility) and select “Reading Order Pane.” In the new pane that opens, confirm that all items from your slide are listed in a reading order that makes sense. To adjust reading order in this pane, see this Microsoft Support article: Make slides easier to read by using the Reading Order pane. You may also find this Microsoft Support video helpful: Create slides with an accessible reading order.
Caution with tables
Avoid tables on slides if possible. If you must use a table on a slide, use it only for data that has row and/or column headings. Keep it as simple as possible, and avoid merged or split cells.
If you do include a simple table, the first row of your table should contain column headings describing the contents of the columns below. Mark that header row using the Header Row checkbox in the Table Styles Options, as described in Use table headers.
Media descriptions
Add concise alt text to describe any images (or other visuals like charts or graphics) that convey meaning. If an image is strictly decorative and adds no meaning, check “Mark as decorative” in the Alt Text pane. If the image already has an adjacent descriptive visible caption, mark the image as decorative. If an image consists entirely of text, replace it with actual text. To see these tips in action, watch this video: Improve image accessibility in PowerPoint.
If your presentation will include video or audio media, be sure to Add closed captions or subtitles. If it includes embedded media from an external source (i.e. YouTube video), make sure those media include captions or subtitles.
Descriptive links
Make sure all hyperlinked text describes the target (or action) of the hyperlink. Replace “read more,” “click here,” or other generic text with meaningful text that describes the link’s target or action. For example, instead of “To read the latest UT Health news click here,” try “To read the latest UT Health news, visit our Newsroom.”
Likewise, replace displayed URLs with hyperlinked text that describes the link’s target or action (i.e. the title of the target page). For example, instead of “https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint,” use “PowerPoint help & learning.”
Color
Avoid conveying meaning exclusively with color. If you want to indicate or bring attention to certain text or objects on a slide, make sure you don’t indicate them with color alone. Add other formatting, symbols or explanatory text to point out the text you’re indicating.
Likewise, data graphs should indicate different data series using other methods besides color alone (dashed lines, shading patterns, etc.)
Make sure there is sufficient color contrast between foreground text (or objects) and the background. The Accessibility Checker will catch and point out many color contrast issues in your presentation and recommend fixes. The checker may miss color contrast issues in certain situations, so be sure to inspect visually as well.
To check for contrast or color issues, you can inspect your presentation without color by opening the Accessibility Ribbon (Review > Check Accessibility) and selecting “Inspect without Color.” In that grayscale view, make sure that all objects and text are clear and visible and understandable.
Optimization
When providing instructions, make sure they are not dependent on a single sense. For example, don’t describe objects solely by their shape, position, location, size, orientation or sound – make sure they are identified in a way that is understandable by users who can’t see or can’t hear the object.
Avoid text or elements that blink or flash more than twice a second, as blinking or flashing objects can be distracting, and can cause problems for readers with photosensitivity.
Use consistent fonts that are optimized for readability. Sans-serif fonts tend to be most legible, but simple serif fonts are also acceptable. Where appropriate, consider fonts that were designed for accessibility or legibility, such as Andika, Atkinson Hyperlegible, or Lexend (download these font families for free from Google Fonts). Minimize or avoid script or display fonts. Ensure that text on presentation slides is large enough to be seen at a distance (18pt or larger is generally recommended).
Before finalizing your document, check it over one last time with the Microsoft PowerPoint Accessibility Checker. If the Accessibility Pane shows any Errors or Warnings, address them using the “Recommended Actions” drop-down menu, or fix them yourself and recheck. Be sure to resolve all errors and warnings before distributing your presentation.
Additional resources