________________________ Make your Outlook documents accessible

Make your Outlook documents accessible 2

Table of Contents

Table of Contents............................................................................................................................................ 2

Make your Outlook email accessible ......................................................................................................... 3

Windows: Best practices for making Outlook email accessible ............................................................. 3

Add alt text to visuals in Office 2016 ........................................................................................................... 4

Add alt text to images ................................................................................................................................. 5

Add alt text to SmartArt graphics ............................................................................................................... 6

Add alt text to shapes ................................................................................................................................. 6

Add alt text to charts .................................................................................................................................. 7

Make hyperlinks, text, and tables accessible ........................................................................................... 8

Add hyperlink text and ScreenTips .............................................................................................................. 8

Use accessible font format ............................................................................................................................ 9

Use accessible font color ............................................................................................................................ 10

Use bulleted list styles .................................................................................................................................. 10

Use ordered lists ............................................................................................................................................ 11

Adjust space between sentences and paragraphs ................................................................................ 12

Use table headers ........................................................................................................................................ 14

Request an accessible email ..................................................................................................................... 14

Additional Support ....................................................................................................................................... 15

Make your Outlook documents accessible 3

Make your Outlook email accessible

This topic gives you step-by-step instructions to make your email messages accessible to people with disabilities.

People who are blind or have low vision can understand your emails more easily if you create them with accessibility in mind.

Windows: Best practices for making Outlook email accessible

The following table includes key best practices for creating Outlook email that is accessible to people with disabilities.

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What to fix How to fix it

Include alternative text with all visuals.

Visual content includes pictures, SmartArt graphics, shapes, groups, charts, embedded objects, ink, and videos.

Add alt text to visuals in Office 2016

Add meaningful hyperlink text and ScreenTips. Add hyperlink text and ScreenTips

Ensure that color is not the only means of conveying information.

Use accessible font format

Use sufficient contrast for text and background colors. Use accessible font color

Use built-in headings and styles. Use accessible font format

Use bulleted list styles

Use ordered lists

Use a larger font size (11pt or larger), sans serif fonts, and sufficient white space.

Use accessible font format

Adjust space between sentences and paragraphs

Use a simple table structure, and specify column header information.

Use table headers

Add alt text to visuals in Office 2016

The following procedures describe how to add alt text to visuals in your Outlook email:

• Add alt text to images • Add alt text to SmartArt graphics • Add alt text to shapes • Add alt text to charts

Note: We recommend only putting text in the description field and leaving the title blank. This will provide the best experience with most major screen readers including Narrator. For audio and video content, in addition to alt text, include closed captioning for people who are deaf or have limited hearing.

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Add alt text to images

Add alt text to images, such as pictures

and screenshots, so that screen readers can read the text to describe the image to users who can’t see the image.

1. Right-click an image. 2. Select Format Picture > Format Picture > Layout & Properties. 3. Select Alt Text. 4. Type a description and a title.

Tip: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.

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Add alt text to SmartArt graphics

1. Right-click a SmartArt graphic. 2. Select Format Object > Shape Options > Layout & Properties 3. Select Alt Text. 4. Type a description and a title.

Tip: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.

Add alt text to shapes

Add alt text to shapes, including shapes within a SmartArt graphic.

1. Right-click a shape. 2. Select Format Shape > Layout & Properties 3. Select Alt Text. 4. Type a description and a title.

Tip: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as

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possible.

Add alt text to charts

1. Right-click a chart. 2. Select Format Chart Area > Chart Options > Layout & Properties. 3. Select Alt Text. 4. Type a description and a title.

Tip: Include the most important information in the first line, and be as concise as possible.

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Make hyperlinks, text, and tables accessible

The following procedures describe how to make the hyperlinks, text, and tables in your Outlook email accessible.

Add hyperlink text and ScreenTips

1. Select the text to which you want to add the hyperlink, and then right-click. 2. Select Hyperlink. The text you selected displays in the Text to display box. This is the

hyperlink text. 3. If necessary, change the hyperlink text. In the Address box, type the destination

URL. 4. Select the ScreenTip button and, in the ScreenTip text box, type a ScreenTip.

Tip: If the title on the hyperlink's destination page gives an accurate summary of what’s on the page, use it for the hyperlink text. For example, this hyperlink text matches the title on the destination page: Templates and Themes for Office Online.

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Use accessible font format

1. Select your text. 2. Select the Format Text tab. 3. In the Font group, which provides options for font type, size, style, and color, select

your formatting choices.

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Use accessible font color

To ensure that text displays well in High Contrast mode, use the Automatic setting for font colors.

1. Select your text. 2. Select Message > Font Color. 3. Select Automatic.

Use bulleted list styles

Create bulleted lists by using the Bullets button.

1. Position the cursor anywhere in your email. 2. Select the Format Text tab. 3. In the Paragraph group, select the Bullets button. 4. Type each bullet item in the bulleted list.

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Use ordered lists

Create sequential steps by using the Numbering button.

1. Position the cursor anywhere in your email. 2. Select the Format Text tab. 3. In the Paragraph group, select the Numbering button. 4. Type the sequential steps.

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Adjust space between sentences and paragraphs

Increase or decrease white space between sentences and paragraphs.

1. Select your text. 2. Select the Format Text tab. 3. In the Paragraph group, in the lower-right corner of the group, select the Dialog box launcher.

The Paragraph dialog box opens, showing the Indents and Spacing tab. 4. Under Spacing, select the spacing options you want.

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Make your Outlook documents accessible 14

Use table headers

Specify a header row in a table.

1. Position the cursor anywhere in a table. 2. On the Table Tools Design tab, in the Table Style Options group, select the Header

Row check box. 3. Type column headings.

Request an accessible email

Let a sender know that you prefer to receive accessible content.

• To go to your account on the web, in Outlook, select File > Info, and then in Account Settings, click the link under Access this account on the web. • In Outlook on the web, to go to Accessibility Settings, select Settings icon

> Mail > General > Accessibility settings. • To request accessible content, select the Ask senders to send content that’s

accessible checkbox.

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Additional Support

Accessibility Checker

Make your Outlook email accessible to people with disabilities using Office 365, Office 2019 and Technical support for customers with disabilities.

Microsoft Disability Answer Desk

Make your Excel, PowerPoint or Word document accessible

Make an existing PDF file accessible