PowerPoint presentations are a core part of teaching, training, and campus events. However, without attention to accessibility, they can pose challenges for individuals using screen readers, keyboard navigation, or low vision tools. This guide outlines practical steps to ensure your slides are accessible to everyone, including when exported to formats like PDF. For more information, visit Microsoft: Making PowerPoint Presentations Accessible. 

Table of Contents

• Use Built-In Slide Layouts
• Add Unique Slide Titles
• Check & Fix Reading Order
• Use Built-In List Styles
• Add Alternative Text for Images
• Design Accessible Charts & Graphs
• Use Descriptive Link Text
• Use Simple, Structured Tables
• Color & Contrast Accessibility
• Run the Accessibility Checker
• Exporting to PDF for Sharing
  • On Windows
  • On macOS
• Additional PowerPoint Resources

Use Built-In Slide Layouts

PowerPoint’s built-in layouts are structured to support accessibility. They include tagged placeholders for titles and content that help screen readers understand the slide’s organization. Avoid using blank slides and adding text boxes manually, as this can disrupt reading order and structural tags (We will show you how to fix this later, though).

Steps

1. Go to the Home tab.
2. Click New Slide, then select a layout (e.g., Title Slide, Title and Content).
3. Use the default placeholders for titles, text, and images.

Tip

Even if you’re customizing the design, always start with a built-in layout for proper structure.

Add Unique Slide Titles

Each slide must have a unique and descriptive title to help screen reader users navigate the presentation. Slides without titles or with repeated titles can be confusing.

Steps

1. In View > Outline View, review the list of slide titles.
2. Eliminate duplicate titles by adding identifiers (e.g., “Overview – Part 1” and “Overview – Part 2”).

Practical Example

Instead of using 'Data' for three slides, try 'Enrollment Data by Year,' 'Enrollment by Gender,' and 'Graduation Rates.'

Tip

For slides with only images or charts, add a hidden title using a white font on a white background or send the title text box to the back, ensuring screen reader navigation still works.  You can also turn off title visibility in the Selection Pane.

Check & Fix Reading Order

The visual layout of your slide doesn’t determine how screen readers read it; the reading order does. The content may be read out of order if a slide was built from scratch or includes multiple layered elements.

Steps

1. Go to Home > Arrange > Selection Pane.
2. Items are listed in the order they were placed on the page.  This is probably not the order you want them read.
3. Drag items up or down to place into the reading correct sequence.

Tip

Keep this order in mind: Title → Main Text → Image → Caption → Footer.

Use Built-In List Styles

Use bullet or number list tools, not hyphens or manual numbering, ensuring screen readers recognize list structure.

Steps

1. Highlight your list text.
2. On the Home tab, select Bullets or Numbering.
3. Choose a simple style with sufficient contrast. 

Add Alternative Text for Images

Alt text allows screen reader users to understand the content or purpose of an image. Decorative images should be hidden from assistive technologies.

Steps

1. Right-click the image and select Edit Alt Text.
2. In the Alt Text pane, write a short, meaningful description (about 1–2 sentences).
3. Check “Mark as decorative” if the image is purely decorative.

Tips

• Focus on meaning, not appearance.
• Avoid phrases like “image of…” or including file types (e.g., .jpg, .png).
• For complex images, describe the data in the surrounding text and keep the alt text short.

Design Accessible Charts & Graphs

Charts and graphs should be understandable without needing to be seen. Provide context and interpretation.

Best Practices

• Use chart tools instead of screenshots of data.
• Add a short description summarizing the key point (either in slide text or speaker notes).
• Ensure labels and axis titles are clear and large enough to read.

Example

Instead of simply showing a line chart, add text like:
“Enrollment increased steadily from 2018 to 2023, with the highest growth seen in STEM majors.”

Use Descriptive Link Text

Hyperlinks should clearly describe their destination. Avoid displaying long raw URLs or vague phrases like 'click here.'

Steps

1. Highlight the meaningful text.
2. Right-click > Link.
3. Paste the URL in the Address field and click OK.
4. Optional: If slides are shared as a handout, include a reference slide at the end with full URLs for those who need them.

Examples

• Accessible Example: Visit the William & Mary Library
• Inaccessible Example: https://libraries.wm.edu or 'Click here for the library.'

Use Simple, Structured Tables

Screen readers rely on header tags and a clean structure to navigate tables. Avoid using tables for layout purposes or creating complex table designs.

Steps

1. Insert a table from the Insert tab.
2. Select the table and go to Table Design.
3. Check the boxes for Header Row and/or First Column to mark headers.
4. Right-click the table > Edit Alt Text to add a summary of what the table shows.

Avoid

• Merged cells
• Split rows or columns
• Nested tables

Color & Contrast Accessibility

Good contrast improves readability for everyone and is essential for users with visual impairments. Do not use color as the only way to communicate information.

Best Practices

• Use dark text on a light background or vice versa.
• Combine color with other cues (e.g., bold, underline, symbols).
• Test contrast with tools like WebAIM Contrast Checker.

Examples

• Accessible Example: Red bold text + asterisk
• Inaccessible Example: Only red text

Run the Accessibility Checker

PowerPoint has a built-in tool for identifying accessibility issues, such as missing alt text, problems with reading order, and low contrast.

Steps

1. Go to Review > Check Accessibility.
2. Review the panel that opens and follow the recommended fixes.

Tip

Run the checker every time you finalize a presentation—it’s a quick way to catch common issues.

Exporting to PDF for Sharing

For best practices, we advise the following:

• Do not use “Print to PDF”; this removes all accessibility features.
• Use “Save As” or Adobe’s Acrobat plug-in for best results.

On Windows

1. File > Save As > PDF
2. Click More Options > Options
3. Ensure “Document structure tags for accessibility” is checked
4. Click OK to export

On macOS (PowerPoint 365)

1. File > Save As > PDF
2. Choose Best for electronic distribution and accessibility
3. Click Save

Additional PowerPoint Resources

• Accessible PowerPoint Template (provided by the University of Washington)