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Mastering the PowerPoint Assistant

SimpleAccess.io Office Series

✨ Native Feature

Slides should be heard as well as seen.

A great presentation isn't just about the visuals; it's about making sure your message reaches every person in the room—or on the call. The PowerPoint Accessibility Assistant (formerly the Accessibility Checker) is your real-time guide to ensuring your deck follows the principles of universal design.

Opening the Assistant

Microsoft 365 makes accessibility proactive. You can engage the Assistant at any point during your design process:

  • Click the Accessibility: Good to go (or "Investigate") button in the status bar at the bottom of the window.
  • Go to the Review tab and select Check Accessibility.
  • Watch for the Accessibility Assistant pane that opens on the right, providing a categorized list of fixes.

The "Big Four" for Presentations

PowerPoint decks have unique accessibility hurdles. The Assistant focuses on the structural elements that define the user experience for assistive technology:

1. Slide Reading Order

When you add elements to a slide, a screen reader reads them in the order they were added—not necessarily the order they appear visually. The Assistant checks this "z-order" to ensure a logical sequence, supporting WCAG SC 1.3.2 (Meaningful Sequence).

2. Unique Slide Titles

Each slide title acts as a heading in the digital outline. The Assistant ensures every slide has a unique title so users can navigate the deck quickly, satisfying WCAG SC 2.4.10 (Section Headings).

3. Image Alt Text

Pictures, charts, and icons need descriptions. The Assistant flags missing alt-text and helps you distinguish between informative images and decorative ones to meet WCAG SC 1.1.1 (Non-text Content).

4. Color Contrast

If your text "blends" into your background or image, the Assistant will flag it. This ensures your presentation is readable in any lighting, following WCAG SC 1.4.3 (Contrast).

Going beyond the checks

While the Assistant catches technical errors, SimpleAccess encourages these standard presentation practices:

  • Font Legibility: Use sans-serif fonts (like Calibri or Segoe UI) and keep font sizes at 18pt or higher for body text.
  • Table Structures: Use simple tables and ensure the Header Row is checked in the Table Design tab, satisfying WCAG SC 1.3.1.
  • Descriptive Links: Use display text for hyperlinks that describes the destination (e.g., "SimpleAccess Homepage") rather than just the URL string.

SimpleAccess Insight: Presentation vs. PDF

The work you do in the PowerPoint Accessibility Assistant is not lost when you export. By establishing a correct Reading Order and using Unique Titles, those semantic "tags" are carried over into the final Tagged PDF, ensuring your audience can access your information regardless of their device.