Skip to Main Content

Accessibility in Microsoft PowerPoint

This guide shares practices for creating accessible materials in Microsoft PowerPoint

Overview

To be fully accessible, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations must be properly formatted and saved in the proper file type. For full accessibility be sure to apply the properties in each tab:

  • Include a Title Property
  • Use Current File Formats
  • Save PowerPoint Presentations in Different Formats
  • Avoid Image-Only Files

Accessible Presentation File Properties

Microsoft PowerPoint presentations (.pptx) must have a title property entered in the properties field to be fully accessible. Screen readers and other assistive devices use this metadata to function. Simply having a title header or a file name does not constitute an accessible title. 

    1. Open the document in Microsoft PowerPoint.
    2. Click the File tab.
    3. Select Info.
    4. Enter the title of the document in the Title field (do not just use the file name).

""

PPTX files should be used instead of PPT files. For the best compatibility and usability, open the file in Microsoft PowerPoint and save it as a .pptx file.  

  1. Open the document in Microsoft PowerPoint.
  2. Click the File
  3. Select Save As or Save a Copy.
  4. In the drop-down menu for file type, select PowerPoint Presentation (*.pptx).
  5. Click Save.

""

You can save your presentation in a format that can be easily read by a screen reader or be ported to a Braille reader. For instructions, go to  Video: Save a presentation in a different format or  Create accessible PDFs. Before converting a presentation into another format, make sure you run the Accessibility Checker and fix all reported issues.

If a PowerPoint Presentation or PDF is a scanned file, it is likely completely inaccessible to some users. Scanned files are often images, so if text is included, a screen reader has no way to discern the text. Instead of a scanned or image-only file, an accessible version must be provided. 

  1. If the file is a course text, request it as a course reserve. This also helps ensure copyright law is followed.
  2. If the file is a course material: 
    1. retype the file and replace it in Canvas with a text-based file.
    2. Request an alternate format in UDOIT (available to faculty only)