UMass Boston

Email Accessibility

Accessible emails help students, staff, and faculty read and understand your message. Making your emails accessible benefits students, staff, and faculty using screen readers, those with cognitive disabilities, mobile users, and anyone in a hurry.

Write Clear and Simple Messages

Use plain language in your emails. Avoid complicated words, jargon, and acronyms. Keep sentences short and direct. Break up long paragraphs into smaller chunks of text. Use active voice rather than passive voice when possible. This helps everyone understand your message quickly and reduces confusion.

Format Your Content

Write emails using Sans Serif fonts like Arial or Calibri. These fonts are easier to read on screens.  Use a font size at at least 12 pt to make it easier to read for everyone. Use consistent headings, paragraphs, and lists to organize your information. Good structure helps readers scan your email and find important information.

Make Images Accessible

Add meaningful descriptions (alt text) to any images in your email. Screen readers will read these descriptions aloud to people who can't see the images. Keep alt text concise but descriptive. Learn more about how to write effective alt text.

Put important information in the email text, not just in images. If you include a screenshot of text, also provide that text in the email body so screen readers can access it.

Use Descriptive Links

It can be confusing for screen reader users when links leave out the function and location of a button or link. Descriptive links explain where links will take a user. Avoid phrases like “click here” or “read more”. Instead, use text like “Register for Class”, or “Download the Course Syllabus”. When possible, avoid very long URLs in your text. Use the hyperlink feature to attach links to descriptive text instead of pasting the full web address.

Use Outlook’s Accessibility Checker

Outlook has a built-in tool to check accessibility that works similarly to the accessibility checkers in Word and PowerPoint. While writing an email:

  1. Click on the Review tab
  2. Select Check Accessibility
  3. Fix any issues it finds

The checker will identify problems like missing alt text, poor color contrast, and empty links. Fixing these issues before sending will make your email more accessible to everyone.

Learn More About Email Accessibility