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PowerPoints

Since PowerPoint is a primarily visual medium, there are unique accessibility considerations related to PowerPoint documents. Please note that the considerations for accessible documents discussed previously still apply within PowerPoint. The only exception to this is that there is no option to applying a heading structure inside of PowerPoint because slides rely primarily on slide titles.

Best Practices

  1. Choose a theme with good color contrast and simple backgrounds.
  2. Use built-in slide designs for inclusive reading order, colors, and more
    • If each slide has a descriptive title, this will make it much easier for screen reader users to read and navigate the presentation.
    • Slide layout refers to the way in which the content on each slide is organized. Below are some best practices to consider:
    • Use the built-in layout options when possible. Using built-in layouts will automatically set the reading order for the content and there will be less need for remediation.
    • Each slide must have a unique title.
    • Utilize a large font (typically 18+ font size).
  3. Ensure the reading order of slide content is in the order that you intend.
    • Reading order refers to the order in which the content on each slide is read aloud through screen readers and text to speech technology. The accessibility checker may not flag reading order as an accessibility issue. All content on the slide should be organized in a logical reading order, which is typically organized in the following order:
      1. Title
      2. Subtitle
      3. Written content
      4. Image/tables/graphs
      5. Footer content
    • You may set the reading order of slide contents
    • You may also use the Accessibility Checker to find slides that have possible problems with reading order.
  4. When selecting animations and transitions for your slides, consider utilizing versions that do not flash. Flashing content can sometimes induce adverse medical reactions which could be harmful to individuals.
    • Additionally, consider using options that cause the least amount of distraction and disorientation. Although we want to capture our audience’s attention, too much can then distract our audience when presenting the slides.
  5. Create accessible hyperlink text.
  6. Use accessible font format and color.
  7. Include alternative text with all visuals.
  8. Add accurate captions to videos embedded or linked in your presentation.
  9. If you save your presentation in another format, be sure to save it in an accessible format.
  10. Be sure to enable automatic captions when presenting.

How to Check if it is Accessible

Additional Resources