How to Make an Accessible PDF from PowerPoint

Slide decks are exported to PDF constantly — for handouts, reports, and downloads. PowerPoint can produce a tagged, accessible PDF, but slides have a few quirks that need attention first.

Give every slide a unique title

Slide titles become the way screen reader users navigate the deck, like headings in a document. Every slide needs a title, and each should be unique. If a title should not be visible, you can still set it in the outline view and move it off the slide.

Set the reading order

PowerPoint reads the objects on a slide in the order they were added, which is often not the order you want. Use the Reading Order pane (or the Selection pane) to arrange objects into a logical sequence.

Add alt text and check contrast

• Add alt text to images, charts, and SmartArt; mark purely decorative shapes as decorative.
• Make sure text has enough contrast against busy slide backgrounds.
• Do not rely on color alone to make a point.
• Run Review > Check Accessibility and fix what it reports.

Use File > Save As > PDF and keep the accessibility tags option enabled. As with Word, do not print to PDF — it strips the structure.

Export your deck and check the PDF here to confirm the slides came through accessibly.