Microsoft PowerPoint: accessible practice

Accessibility in Microsoft PowerPoint

Making Microsoft PowerPoint files accessible to everyone involves:

1. Creating the PowerPoint following the accessible content practices, detailed in this resource
2. Facilitating the presentation in an inclusive way

Following inclusive and accessible practice will benefit everyone and make some tasks easier for you.

Accessible PowerPoint example document

Discover more in our Accessible PowerPoint example [.pptx file, 7.4MB] with comments.

Important!

Do
The easiest way to make a PowerPoint presentation accessible is to use templates and in-built styles in PowerPoint. For example, use the Click to add title and Click to add text sections.

Don’t
Avoid adding your own text boxes for content as this will make it much harder for you to make your presentation accessible.

Accessibility checker

The accessibility checker automatically scans your document, identifies issues and provides information on how to fix them.

Keep in mind that the accessibility checker is an automated tool which may not always provide advice that is appropriate for your context, so you will need to use your judgement. Find out more in Accessibility checkers: accessible practice (LX resource).

To create accessible PowerPoints you will need to use the Microsoft accessibility checker and follow the accessible content practices.

Mac and browser

To use the accessibility checker on a Mac:

1. Navigate to the the Review tab
2. Select Check Accessibility.
3. Follow the instructions provided by PowerPoint to fix any issues

PC

To use the accessibility checker on a PC:

1. Select File in the top navigation
2. Select Info
3. Select Check for Issues
4. Select Check Accessibility

Check document accessibility (Microsoft guide)

Content structure

Breaking your content into a clear structure can help make it easier for everyone to keep up. Some tips for doing this include:

• Sign-post sections of your presentation by using section slides
• Provide minimal text/content on each slide (it’s clearer to have more slides with less text than fewer slides with more text.
• Add subheadings to your content on your slides

Content structure: accessible practice (LX resource)

In-built styles

Using the in-built styles and defaults in PowerPoint is critical for making your presentation accessible.

Titles

Create unique, descriptive titles for all of your slides by using the Click to add title option.

This will label each of the slides with that title so that screen reader users can navigate through the PowerPoint.

Use unique slide titles (Microsoft Guide)

Text and other content

Add content using the Click to add text sections rather than adding text boxes.

If you add other content and text boxes, you will need to update the reading order that is found via the Accessibility Checker.

Set the reading order of slide contents (Microsoft Guide)

Formatting

Stick with the templates formatting, however here are some tips if you need to make changes:

• Add line spacing and have plenty of white space
• Use left align text (unless the language of your document is read right to left).
• Avoid fonts smaller than 18pt (if you can’t fit all your text on one slide, then it might be best to create a new slide)
• Choose a sans serif font for your document, such as Arial, Calibri, Century Gothic, Helvetica, Tahoma or Verdana.

Language

• Use clear and concise language
• Explain new discipline-specific terms
• Provide instructions to students in plain English

Language: accessible practice (LX resource)

Alternative text

Any image you add to a PowerPoint presentation should have alternative text (alt text) or be marked as decorative. It provides a text description of what is in the image for users who cannot see it. 

Mac or browser

To add alternative text on a Mac or browser:

• Right-click on the image
• Select Edit alternative text
• Delete the automatically generated text (usually it is not very helpful)
• Write short meaningful alternative text, or mark as decorative if the images does not provide useful information that someone who cannot see the image would miss.
• Remember to include alt text or mark shapes and smart art as decorative

You can also find the Alt Text pane on the Format Picture tab.

PC

To add alternative text on a PC:

• Right-click on the image
• Select Format Picture, which will open the Format Picture pane
• Select the Size and Properties option
• Write short meaningful alternative text, in the Title field

Add alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, SmartArt graphic, or other objects (Microsoft Guide)

Important!

When presenting with your PowerPoint, narrate what’s on the screen. Don’t assume everyone can see what is happening on your screen, so describe essential visual content. 

Useful tip

Our Alternative text: accessible practice resource (LX resource) provides guidance around how to make alternative text meaningful.

Captions and transcripts

If you are using video or audio materials in your presentation, embed versions with captions. If you are not able to include captions, provide a transcript of all dialogue and sound in the notes section of the slide.

Captions and transcripts: accessible practice

Links

Provide link text that is descriptive, so that the link destination makes sense out of context (and include file type and size for downloads after the link).

You can do this in PowerPoint by editing the display text option.

Create or edit a hyperlink (Microsoft Guide)

Colour

• For all text, use foreground/background colours that have high contrast. If you’re not sure about the contrast levels of different colours, play it safe by sticking with the default style colours or use the accessibility checker to determine if the text and background colour has high enough contrast.
• Don’t use colour or shape as the only way to identify something in your document. Use text labels or descriptions instead.

Colour: accessible practice (LX resource)

Tables

• Avoid using images of tables, and instead generate tables with text directly in PowerPoint.
• Ensure tables are accessible by having clear column headings and rows that can be found in the Table Design tab. 

To add column headings:

1. Position the cursor anywhere in a table.
2. Select the Table Design tab.
3. In the Table Style Options, select the Header Row check box.
4. In the table, type the column headings.

Inclusive practice consideration

After creating an accessible PowerPoint presentation, it’s useful to share it before your session. This allows everyone to come prepared, and it also allows students to access materials with their assistive technology where a digital copy is necessary.