Use Built-in Slide Layouts or Templates

PowerPoint has many templates with built-in layouts that are already accessible. These templates ensure that the titles, content, and images are in logical reading order, so all users get the information correctly and your content is accessible to a broader range of audiences.

How to:

Go to PowerPoint > New > type Accessible in the search > Press Enter

Select the template and look for “This is an accessible template” in the description. Click Create to begin adding your content.

Best Practices:

• Select a template that has a simple design.
• Use a Northwood Tech template or PowerPoint Template versus creating your own.
• Use built-in slide layouts from the PowerPoint template rather than creating custom layouts.
• Limit the number of text/images per slide to avoid clutter.
• Use the appropriate placeholders for titles, content, images, and captions on preformatted slides.
• Give each slide a unique title.
• Keep animations/transitions simple and to a minimum.

Color Contrast

Best Practices:

• Use a good color contrast between your background and text.
• The highest contrast is black and white. White on a dark blue background is also a good contrast.
• Individuals with vision impairment or color blindness cannot see a high color contrast without brightness contrast:
• Dark Green vs. bright green
• Individuals with vision impairment or color blindness have difficulty with red-green perception.
• Avoid using a light font on a light background (e.g., yellow font on white background).

Font

If you are creating your own layout, or editing the built-in layouts, you will need to be mindful of the Fonts you use.

How to:

Select the text you want to change then go to Home > Font > Adjust Font type and Size

Best Practices:

• Fonts should be sizeable (18 point minimum) and a Sans Serif Font (Arial, Verdana, or Calibri).
• Use upper and lowercase letters rather than all uppercase. Use Bold, italics, etc., sparingly.
• Be consistent with fonts and size throughout the presentation.
• Don’t underline text that is not a hyperlink
• Avoid using italics and all caps for emphasis.
• Do not use color alone to distinguish information. X +.
• People with low vision or color blindness may miss the meaning conveyed by the colors.
• Use text in addition to color. For example:
  • X Incorrect Answer
  • + Correct Answer

Alternative Text

You must add Alternative Text (Alt Text) to all images within your presentation so that screen readers can describe images to those with vision impairment. This includes pictures, clip art, smart art graphics, shapes, groups, charts, embedded objects, ink, and videos.

How to:

Right-click image > View Alt Text > Add a meaningful description

Best practice:

• Write brief, clear descriptions (one or two sentences) focusing on essential information.
• Avoid redundancy; do not start with “image of” or repeat nearby text.
• Avoid using text on images. If you must use text on the image, repeat that text in the presentation.
• Avoid stacking images in presentations, including transitions. An example would be having one picture fade out with another fading in on the same slide. When your audience wants to save a PowerPoint presentation as a PDF to print or use as a handout, or add to a screen reader. All images are stacked on top of each other because there are no transitions in handouts or PDFs.
• Add a separate slide for each image and add a transition between the slides for the same effect when presenting but allowing more flexibility for your audience.
• If you have layers of text on a picture, you can do a screen clip to replace the picture, so it is one image.  Stacking images on a picture do not work for screen readers.
• Mark decorative images properly to allow screen readers to skip them.

Hyperlinks

Add meaningful hyperlink text to ensure that all links have clear and accurate text that describes the destination.

How to:

Paste link on slide> Right click link > Edit Link > Type a meaningful description of the link > Click OK

Best practice:

• Use concise, descriptive link text that indicates the destination or action.
• Avoid raw URLs; describe the target instead.
• Indicate if a link opens a new window or downloads a file.
• Distinguish links with at least two visual cues, such as color and underlining.
• Avoid redundant phrases like “link to”, and do not rely solely on tooltips for important information.

Reading Order

PowerPoint slides are made up of layers. Each layer is an item you've added to the slide, such as the title, text, or image. Each time you add a new layer, it is put over the previous ones. The picture below demonstrates adding a title, then adding your content, and then adding an image. Screen readers start with the bottom layer and read up. In the example below, the title will be read first, followed by the content, and then the alternative text of the image. If content is added outside the template, a manual check must be done to ensure the reading order matches the visual order.

How to:

Go to the Home tab > click Arrange > Selection Pane

Arrange your layers so the item at the top of the slide is at the bottom of the Selection Pane.

How to:

Click on a layer in the slide > select and drag the layers in the selection pane so they read from bottom to top.

Best Practices:

• Keep the appropriate placeholders for titles, content, images, and captions on preformatted slides.
• Check the reading order manually to ensure it is logical and matches the visual order.
• Group related items so they are read together.
• Add alternative text to all images.
• For lists, use appropriate numbered or bulleted lists.
• Test the presentation with a screen reader to ensure reading order accuracy.

Videos and Audio

Screen readers cannot interpret the video content itself. Instead of embedding a video, include a still image of the video and make it a hyperlink. Under the video, include text instructing the audience to click on the image to open the video. In addition to the still image, include a hyperlink with a clear target description.

How to:

Add the still image or text to the slide. Right click on the image or text > Link > Paste link in Address > Click OK

Best Practices:

• All videos must have closed captions.
• All audio files must have a text transcript.
• Use a link to the video versus inserting a video. When a PowerPoint is converted to PDF, videos will not be usable.

Tables

Tables can be difficult for screen readers to navigate. Ensure they are set up correctly, so the data is read meaningfully. Tables need to have clear row and column headers.

How to:

Select the table > click on the Table Design tab > check the box for Header Row

Best Practices:

• Keep table structures simple.
• Don’t use split cells, merged cells, nested tables, or blank rows or columns.
• Use clear header rows and columns, highlighted with bold text or distinct formatting.
• Ensure a logical reading order from left to right and top to bottom.

Graphs

Screen readers cannot interpret graphs or charts. Graphs need to have alternative text and data labels to ensure everyone can understand and interpret the data.

How to:

Select the graph > right click > select Format Data Labels > click the box next to Category Name

Best Practices:

• Use clear and descriptive titles.
• Use high-contrast colors.
• Do not rely on color alone to interpret data.
• Use alternative text for the graph.
• Use data labels to help people understand the value being presented.

Run Accessibility Check

PowerPoint has a built-in tool to check accessibility. When you run the accessibility checker, PowerPoint will identify any issues found, and you will receive a list of errors, warnings, or tips with instructions on how to fix or improve your content.

How to:

Go to the Review tab > Check Accessibility > Check Accessibility

Click on the issues in the accessibility assistant to take you to the slide to fix the issues. Once you fix the issue, it will be marked complete on the Accessibility Assistant.

Make an Accessible PDF

Converting a PowerPoint to a PDF gives users an alternative format to view the content, making it accessible to everyone. Once converted to a PDF, use the Read Out Loud Feature in Adobe to review the presentation for accessibility.

How to:

Go to Acrobat > Create PDF and Run Action > Make Accessible

Best Practices:

• Using the Create PDF and Run Action > Make Accessible, the tools within Adobe are used to scan the text, content structure, and document information and make it compatible with assistive technology.
• Do not use the File > Save As Adobe PDF; this does not create an accessible PDF.
• Do not use Acrobat > Create PDF; this does not create an accessible PDF.

Additional Resources:

Video guides from Microsoft:

Clicking the below links or images will open a new window to Microsoft's support site.