Summary
How to make Microsoft PowerPoint presentations accessible with unique slide titles, a logical reading order, alt text, accessible design and color, captions for media, and the Accessibility Checker. Applies to faculty, staff, and students using PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 and the web.
Body
Questions
- How do I make a PowerPoint presentation accessible?
- How do I make my slides work with a screen reader?
- How do I set the reading order of items on a slide?
- How do I add alt text and captions to a presentation?
- Why do my slides need unique titles?
- How do I check a presentation for accessibility problems?
Environment
This article applies to Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students creating presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 on Windows and macOS, and PowerPoint for the web).
Resolution
Give every slide a unique title
- Use the built-in title placeholder so screen-reader users can navigate slide by slide.
- To keep a title for navigation without showing it, use Home > Arrange > Selection Pane to hide the title from view while keeping it in the file.
Set a logical reading order
- Go to Home > Arrange > Selection Pane.
- Screen readers read from the bottom of the list up, so arrange items so the order they should be read appears in reverse in the pane.
Add alt text
Right-click each image, chart, or object, choose View Alt Text, and describe it briefly. Mark decorative visuals as decorative. See Write Effective Alt Text for Images.
Use accessible design
- Start from a built-in accessible template and layout.
- Use a sans-serif font, generally 18pt or larger, and ensure strong color contrast.
- Use descriptive hyperlink text, not Click here.
- Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning.
Caption video and audio
Add closed captions or subtitles to any embedded video, and provide a transcript for audio. For course recordings, add captions in Panopto or Zoom (see the Captioning and Subtitles articles).
Check your work
On the Review tab, select Check Accessibility and resolve any Errors and Warnings.
Tip: Reading order and slide titles are the two issues that most affect screen-reader users — check them on every slide.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
Additional Resources