PowerPoint Accessibility Checklist

Layout

  • Do create the slide show using PowerPoint layouts
  • Do use the Slide Master to format slides and text
  • Do set reading order of slide contents so it is read in the intended order
  • Do give each slide a Title

Text

Color

  • Do use contrasting colors
  • Don’t use color-blind color combinations (red/green is most common)
  • Do use other means of conveying information in addition to color (bold, italics)

Font

  • Do use 50 point or larger for Headings
  • Do use 32 point or larger for Body
  • Don’t use all caps

Spacing and Lists

  • Don’t use Enter to control spacing between lines (use paragraph format features)
  • Do use the Bullets and Numbering features (not manually typed characters like hyphens or asterisks)
  • Don’t use more than 25 words per slide
  • Do stay within a maximum of 7 words across and 7 lines vertically

Hyperlinks

  • Do describe the purpose of the target link in the hyperlink title (not “click here” or “more”)
  • Do provide full link URL
  • Do add ScreenTips

Images

  • Do include alt text
  • Don’t use background images or watermarks
  • Don’t use animated images

Objects (SmartArt, shapes, charts, tables)

  • Do include alt text
  • Do set wrapping style to “In line with text”
  • Don’t use text boxes or WordArt
  • Don’t use background images or watermarks

Tables

  • Do include alt text
  • Do define header rows and columns
  • Don’t use merge cells

Document

More Information

For more information go to this Microsoft page with the latest accessibility updates and information. 

Details

Article ID: 93798
Created
Wed 12/4/19 2:59 PM
Modified
Tue 5/10/22 2:27 PM

Related Articles (1)

Compliance with 508 standards should always be a priority for those creating course and web page content.  Whatever the system your content is being distributed from, ensure that uploaded media meets accessibility standards.