Accessibility in PowerPoint

Good slide accessibility helps:

• People with visual impairments — including those using screen readers.
• People with colour blindness — when contrast is clear.
• Neurodivergent audiences — when slides are structured logically, not cluttered.
• Anyone viewing slides online after a session — when reading order and structure are correct.

It’s not just about disability — accessible slides are clearer and more professional for everyone.

• Not running the Accessibility Checker. This is the easiest way to catch issues like missing alt text, incorrect reading order, or poor contrast — but many people forget to use it.
• Forgetting to add alt text. Images, charts, and diagrams without alt text make your presentation inaccessible to screen reader users.
• Incorrect reading order. If you’ve used lots of text boxes, diagrams, or shapes, screen readers may read them in the wrong order unless you check and fix it.
• No slide titles. Screen readers rely on slide titles for navigation. Leaving slides untitled makes it harder for users to follow the structure of your presentation.
• Relying on colour alone to convey meaning. Saying “the green line shows…” doesn’t help someone who can’t distinguish colours. Always label lines, bars, or sections with text as well.
• Poor colour contrast. Light grey text on a white background, or red text on green, is hard to read for everyone — not just for people with colour vision deficiencies.
• Small text or decorative fonts. Fancy fonts or tiny text can reduce readability for everyone, especially in a classroom or conference setting.

• Add slide titles — every slide should have a title to help navigation.
• Use the correct reading order — check that text boxes, headings, and images are read in the right sequence (Home → Arrange → Selection Pane).
• Add alt text — describe images, diagrams, and charts meaningfully, unless they are decorative.
• Check colour contrast — use strong contrast like dark text on a light background or vice versa.
• Use the Accessibility Checker — find it under Review → Check Accessibility to catch common problems.

These Microsoft help guides show how to use the Accessibility Checker, add alt text, set reading order, and improve contrast in PowerPoint:

• Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible
• Add alt text to objects in PowerPoint
• Change the reading order in PowerPoint 

• Run the Accessibility Checker. This finds common issues like missing alt text, poor reading order, or insufficient colour contrast. Use it regularly as you build your slides.
• Add alt text to images. Describe the essential information shown in photos, charts, diagrams, or illustrations. If the image is decorative, you can mark it as such.
• Check reading order. If you’ve added multiple text boxes, diagrams, or shapes, make sure they will be read in the correct order by a screen reader.
• Use clear slide titles. Every slide should have a title. This helps everyone — including screen reader users — navigate the presentation.
• Avoid relying on colour alone. Don’t use colour as the only way to communicate meaning. For example, don’t say “the red line shows…” without also labelling it in text.
• Check colour contrast. Make sure text stands out clearly from the background. Pale text on pale backgrounds, or bright clashing colours, can be hard to read.
• Use clear, readable fonts. Sans serif fonts like Arial or Calibri are generally easiest to read. Keep font sizes large enough for your audience.
• Add speaker notes or transcripts for audio content. If your slides include recorded narration, explain the key content in the speaker notes or a separate transcript.