Why accessible slides matter

Presentations are used everywhere—classrooms, meetings, conferences, and online courses. When slides aren't accessible, people who use screen readers, have low vision, or process information differently can miss key content.

Download the PowerPoint Quick Reference Card for a printable checklist.

Accessibility checklist

Structure & Layout

Text & Fonts

Images & Media

Tables & Charts

Links & Navigation

Step-by-step guides

Add alt text to images

  1. Right-click the image
  2. Select Edit Alt Text
  3. Write a concise description of what the image conveys
  4. Or check Mark as decorative if purely visual

Check reading order

  1. Go to Home tab
  2. Click Arrange → Selection Pane
  3. Items are read bottom-to-top
  4. Drag items to reorder if needed

Add slide titles

  1. Use layouts that include a title placeholder
  2. If hiding the title, use the Outline View to add one
  3. Each title should be unique and descriptive

Run the Accessibility Checker

  1. Go to Review tab
  2. Click Check Accessibility
  3. Fix errors first, then warnings
  4. Click each issue for instructions

UA accessible templates

Start with these pre-built accessible templates:

Exporting accessible files

Export to PDF

  1. Run Accessibility Checker first and fix issues
  2. Go to File → Export → Create PDF/XPS
  3. Click Options
  4. Check Document structure tags for accessibility
  5. Save the file

Note: Always test the PDF with a screen reader or Adobe Acrobat's accessibility checker.

Additional resources