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PowerPoint Accessibility

It’s important to consider accessibility when developing presentations and slides. By using Microsoft PowerPoint’s built-in templates and tools, you can make your presentations and slide decks more accessible to your audience.

Use Accessible Templates and Layouts

Powerpoint has built-in slide templates and layouts that already include accessible slide design, colors, contrast, and fonts. To find an accessible template:

  1. Select File > New.
  2. In the Search for Online templates and themes text field, type accessible templates and press Enter.
  3. In the search results, select a suitable template.
  4. In the template preview, select Create.

Assign a Unique Title to Every Slide

Users of assistive technologies such as screen readers can benefit from unique and descriptive slide titles. You can make these slide titles visible or not. The accessibility checker in PowerPoint will help you identify any slides that do not contain a title.

Ensure Text Readability

  • Use a larger font size (18 pt or larger)
  • Use Sans Serif fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial, and Verdana
  • Make color selections that contrast by using a contrast checker
  • Use the accessibility checker to ensure sufficient color contrast between visual elements

Add Alternative Text to Visual Elements

For simple images, the best practice is to describe them with alternative text (alt text) and captions. Alt text is easily available in most authoring tools (Canvas, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, etc.). For full instructions on how to add alt text, go to the NCDAE Cheat Sheets, find the program you are using and scroll down to “Alternative Text for Images.”

Basic Guidelines for Alt Text

  • Be accurate and equitable. The alt text should present the same content and serve the same function as the image itself.
  • Be succinct. Usually, no more than a few words are necessary. Sometimes a short sentence may be needed, but if a lengthy explanation is required, the image chosen might not be the best option for presenting your material.
  • For decorative images: If an image does not convey any significant information, there is no need to describe it. Simply label it as “decorative.”

Make Videos Embedded in Your Slides Accessible

If you include one or more videos in your PowerPoint slides, you should take steps to ensure those videos are accessible to your audience. Select a video that includes captions and consider including a link to a transcript for the video.

Please note that PowerPoint for Windows allows for embedded videos with closed captions, but PowerPoint for Mac requires that you “burn in” the captions as open captions. You can learn more about captions on Microsoft’s PowerPoint accessibility web page.

Minimize Use of Transition Animations

  • Some transitions could trigger someone’s health condition, especially those with motion sensitivity that can have seizures, vertigo, or migraines. 
  • Complex animations like Blinds and Fly can also create accessibility issues for anyone using assistive technology.

Use Powerpoint’s Built-In Accessibility Checker

  1. Go to File and select Info
  2. Click Check for issues
  3. Select Check Accessibility

Send Accessible PDFs and Other Materials Ahead of Time

By sending your presentations as alternative formats like accessible PDFs, you ensure that the information can be accessed in multiple ways, including by screen reader or braille format. 

For more information, visit Microsoft’s Saving Your Presentation in Different Formats page.

Learn More About PowerPoint Accessibility

For more information, visit the following resources: