Improve Slide Readability

Readable slides help all viewers, including those with visual impairments, access and understand your content.

1. Use simple sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Calibri, or Aptos.
2. Use a font size of at least 18 pt for body text and 24 pt or larger for headings.
3. Maintain strong contrast between text and background.
4. Avoid overcrowding slides with excessive text, images, or visual elements.
5. Use clear, direct language and avoid unnecessary jargon.

Tip: View your slides in full-screen mode to confirm that text is easy to read from a distance.

Use Built-In Slide Layouts

Built-in PowerPoint layouts help create structure that can be interpreted more reliably by assistive technologies.

1. Go to the Home tab and select Layout.
2. Choose a built-in layout that matches the purpose of your slide.
3. Use placeholders for titles, body text, and images whenever possible.
4. Avoid creating slides entirely from manually inserted text boxes.
5. Avoid overlapping text, images, and shapes.

Tip: Built-in layouts improve consistency, readability, and screen reader navigation.

Add Alt Text for Images

Alt text describes meaningful images for participants who cannot see them or who use assistive technology.

1. Right-click the image.
2. Select Edit Alt Text.
3. Write a concise description of the image and its purpose.
4. Mark the image as decorative if it does not communicate important content.

Example: “A line graph showing enrollment growth from 2020 to 2025.”

Tip: Avoid starting descriptions with “image of” or “picture of.”

Check Reading Order

Reading order determines how slide content is interpreted by screen readers and other assistive technologies.

1. Open the slide you want to check.
2. Go to the Review tab and select Check Accessibility.
3. Use the reading order or selection tools to review the order of slide objects.
4. Confirm that the title comes first, followed by the main text and supporting visuals.
5. Move objects into a logical order if needed.

Tip: A logical reading order usually follows the same order a person would naturally read the slide: title first, then main content, then supporting details.

Run a Final Accessibility Check

Before sharing your presentation, use PowerPoint’s Accessibility Checker to find common issues such as missing alt text, poor reading order, unclear slide titles, or low contrast.

1. Go to the Review tab.
2. Select Check Accessibility.
3. Review the inspection results.
4. Correct any issues that PowerPoint identifies.
5. Save your updated file.