Accessibility Checklist for PowerPoint
Creating accessible PowerPoint presentations ensures everyone can read and understand your content, including people using screen readers or other assistive technologies. Use the fast review for quick fixes, the full checklist for best practices, and the downloadable cheat sheets for step-by-step help on Windows or Mac.
✅ Fast Review
Quick fixes to make any presentation more accessible.
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Set document title, author, and language (File > Info > Properties).
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Use built-in slide layouts (not manual text boxes).
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Give each slide a unique, descriptive title.
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Check and fix Reading Order with the Selection/Reading Order pane.
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Addalt text to meaningful images; mark decorative images as decorative.
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Ensure sufficient color contrast; don’t rely on color alone.
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Write descriptive link text (not “Click here”).
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Keep data tables simple; identify header rows.
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Run the Accessibility Checker before sharing.
📖 Full Checklist
🧩 View the full best practices list.
Structure & Layout
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Use PowerPoint’s pre-set slide layouts to preserve structure and reading order.
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Title every slide uniquely to aid navigation.
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Apply true list styles for bullets/numbering (not typed symbols/tabs).
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Choose readable fonts (Calibri, Arial, Verdana, Helvetica) and use at least 20 pt for slide text.
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Avoid SmartArt and free-floating text boxes when possible; prefer placeholders in layouts.
Images, Graphics, and Color
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Add concise alt text for simple images; mark decorative ones as decorative.
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Provide captions/long descriptions for complex visuals (charts, graphs, infographics).
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Ensure color contrast (≥ 4.5:1 for normal text; ≥ 3:1 for large text).
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Don’t rely on color alone; add labels, patterns, or symbols.
Tables & Reading Order
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Use tables only for data (not layout); keep them simple.
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Identify header rows (and first column if helpful).
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Open the Selection/Reading Order pane and set logical order for screen readers.
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Group related objects to reduce clutter and simplify ordering; delete empty elements.
Links & Media
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Write meaningful link text that makes sense out of context.
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Caption all videos; provide transcripts for audio.
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Limit animations and avoid auto-advance transitions that may disrupt assistive tech.
Review & Sharing
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Run the Accessibility Checker and fix flagged issues.
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Avoid “Print to PDF” when sharing; provide the original PPTX when possible.
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Repeat critical information in the slide body (not only headers/footers).
⚡ Quick Verification
Easy tools to double-check your slides before sharing.
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Run the Accessibility Checker and fix flagged issues.
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Confirm slide titles are unique and descriptive.
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Open the Reading Order pane or Tab through to confirm logical order.
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Verify images and charts have alt text or are marked decorative.
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Confirm color contrast is sufficient for all text and visuals.
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Check links are descriptive and accurate.
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Review that videos are captioned and audio has transcripts.
📎 Cheatsheet Downloads
Step-by-step instructions with visuals and keyboard shortcuts.