PowerPoint Accessibility

Like Word documents, presentations should be made accessible in PowerPoint even if you are planning to convert them to PDF. This will save you work in the long run – we promise.

1. Templates & Themes - Use an accessible template and theme.
   • If you use a custom template or theme, make sure it is accessible before you start. 
   • To check colors, see the Color Contrast Guide.
2. File Title - Add a file title.
   • Go to File, Info, Properties, and enter the Title of your presentation.
3. Slide Master - Use the slide master to format all slides.
   • Go to View, Slide Master to set colors, fonts, or layouts for all slides. When you’re done, Close Master View.
   • Don’t put important information in the slide master – it can’t be read by assistive technologies.
4. Slide Titles - Use slide layouts with titles.
   • Right-click a slide and click Layout to see and pick a layout.
   • If a slide doesn’t have a title, right-click, and pick a layout with a title.
   • Try not to duplicate titles. (It’s not really an error, but you’ll get a warning.)
   • If you don't want a title to show, move it above the slide. (It won't show when you play the slide show, but it will be readable by assistive technologies.)
5. Content - Put text in the content placeholder.
   • If a slide doesn’t have a content placeholder, right-click, and pick a layout with content.
   • Copy and paste content placeholders and arrange them as desired.
6. Pictures - Add alt text to pictures.
   • Right-click a picture, select View Alt Text, and enter Alt Text in the box.
   • Don't describe the picture, enter what it communicates. See the Image Accessibility Guide.
   • If a picture doesn't mean anything or repeats information on the slide, check "Mark as decorative".
7. Tables - Keep tables simple.
   • Go to Insert, Table.
   • Go to Table Design, and check Header Row.
   • Put column headers in the first row and row headers in the first column.
   • Don't merge cells - simplify the table design instead.
8. Shapes, Groups & SmartArt - Add alt text to shapes or groups (when needed).
   • If a shape contains text, DON’T add Alt Text.
   • If a shape doesn’t mean anything, check “Mark as decorative”.
   • If a shape doesn’t contain text but means something, right-click and enter Alt Text.
   • If you Group shapes, enter Alt Text that explains the entire group.
   • Treat SmartArt like a group of shapes – either enter Alt Text for the group, or ungroup it and add Alt Text or “Mark as decorative” each shape.
9. Audio & Video - Add alt text and captions to audio & video.
   • Right-click an audio or video, select View Alt Text, and enter Alt Text that tells what it is.
   • If the audio or video includes speech, make sure everything it says is shown in text on the slide or in captions. See the Video Accessibility Guide.
10. Transitions & Animations - Keep them subtle.
    • If you use transitions or animations, make sure they aren’t distracting.
11. Check Accessibility - use PowerPoint's Accessibility Assistant.
    • Go to Review, Check Accessibility. Click the bottom half of the button to open the menu:
      • Check Accessibility - fix any errors the Accessibility Assistant finds.
      • Alt Text - show the Alt Text pane, click on each picture, and check its alt text.
      • Reading Order - show the Reading Order pane, go to each slide, and check the order, top to bottom. If an object is unchecked, it is “Marked as decorative” and can be in any order. Moving objects up will also move them “behind”, so pay attention to the visibility of overlapping objects.
    • Remember: the accessibility checker is helpful but can’t test everything.

• WebAIM: PowerPoint Accessibility - more instructions for making presentations accessible.
• Microsoft: Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible - best practices from Microsoft.
• Microsoft: Add Closed Captions to Media in PowerPoint - if you use audio or video.

Try to create PowerPoint Example 1 (pptx) by following the instructions above.

To download the exercise document, right click the link below and pick "Save link as", then pick a location like your Desktop, and click Save:

• Chart (png)
• Logo (png)
• Montage (jpg)
• Sales-Data (xlsx)

After you're done, compare your work to:

• PowerPoint Example 1 (pptx) | Example 1 (pdf) - accessible
• PowerPoint Example 2 (pptx) | Example 2 (pdf) - inaccessible