Accessibility in Microsoft 365: Small changes that make a big difference

Accessibility is often viewed as something extra. Another box to check. Another requirement added to an already busy day.

Accessibility improvements do not only help people with disabilities. Clear structure, readable formatting, captions and better navigation create a smoother experience for everyone.

Often, the barriers are caused by small details that are easy to overlook.

A missing heading in a document. A slide with poor color contrast. A video without captions. Small details can make content difficult, or even impossible, for someone else to use.

Headings help screen readers navigate documents and also make content easier for everyone to scan. Color contrast is important because some users may have low vision or color blindness, making certain text difficult to read against the background. Captions help people follow along in noisy environments, quiet offices, or situations where audio cannot be used.

Microsoft 365 includes built-in tools that make creating accessible content much easier. Many features take only seconds to use and improve the experience for everyone, not just those using assistive technology.

Use the Accessibility Checker

The Accessibility Checker is available in many Microsoft 365 apps such as Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

The checker scans your content for common accessibility issues such as:

• Missing alternative text on images
• Poor reading order in slides
• Low color contrast
• Missing table headers
• Unclear hyperlink text

Think of it as spellcheck for accessibility.

To run the Accessibility Checker, open the Review tab and select Check Accessibility.

Use headings to organize content

Large blocks of text can be difficult to navigate, especially for screen reader users.

Using Word’s built-in heading styles creates structure that helps readers quickly navigate content.

Instead of manually increasing font size or bolding text:

• Use Heading 1 for main titles
• Use Heading 2 for sections
• Use Heading 3 for subsections

This creates a cleaner experience for everyone and improves navigation in longer documents.

Add meaningful alt text to images

Alternative text describes images for people using screen readers.

Good alt text focuses on the image’s purpose, not every visual detail.

In Microsoft 365 apps, right-click an image and select View Alt Text to add or review descriptions.

Use captions

Captions are often associated with accessibility for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, but they also help:

• People in noisy environments
• Viewers watching without sound
• Non-native English speakers
• Anyone trying to follow complex information

PowerPoint and Microsoft Teams both support live captions and subtitles during presentations and meetings.

Improve readability with Immersive Reader

Immersive Reader is one of the most underrated accessibility tools in Microsoft 365.

It can:

• Read text aloud
• Adjust spacing
• Break words into syllables
• Reduce visual clutter
• Highlight parts of speech

These features support a wide range of learning and reading styles.

Immersive Reader is available in Word, Outlook and OneNote.

Accessibility benefits everyone

Small accessibility improvements can make communication more inclusive, more effective and easier to understand.

And often, those changes only take a few extra minutes.

Want to learn more? Visit Microsoft’s Accessibility Center or explore additional digital accessibility resources available through K-State.