How to make accessible Google Slides

Adding Alt Text (PC and Mac)

Using the Mouse:

• Right-click on the image, shape, or object.
• Select “Alt text” from the context menu.
• Enter a description in the “Description” field. Leave the title blank for simplicity.
• Click “OK” or close the dialog box.

Using the Keyboard:

• Select the object using Tab (to navigate) or Shift + Tab (to navigate backward).
• Press Ctrl + Alt + Y (PC) or Command + Option + Y (Mac) to open the context menu.
• Use the Arrow keys to navigate to “Alt text” and press Enter.
• Type the description, then press Tab to navigate to “OK” and hit Enter.

Checking the reading order (PC and Mac)

Google Slides uses the order in which items are added to the slide as the reading order. Fix the order if necessary:

Using the Mouse:

• Click the “Arrange” menu in the toolbar.
• Select “Order” and choose “Bring to front” or “Send to back” to adjust the stacking order.

Using the Keyboard:

• Navigate to the object using Tab or Shift + Tab.
• Open the “Arrange” menu with Alt + A (PC) or Command + Option + A (Mac).
• Use the Arrow keys to navigate to “Order”, then adjust the stacking order with “Bring to front” or “Send to back” using Enter.

Adding slide titles (PC and Mac)

Using the Mouse:

• Click inside the title box at the top of each slide.
• Type a clear, descriptive title.

Using the Keyboard:

• Use Tab or Shift + Tab to navigate to the title box.
• Press Enter to activate the text box and type the title.

Ensuring color contrast (PC and Mac)

Using the Mouse:

• Select the text or object with the color you want to adjust.
• Use the “Text color” or “Fill color” options in the toolbar to choose a color with high contrast.

Using the Keyboard:

• Select the text or object with Tab or Shift + Tab.
• Press Alt + Shift + F (PC) or Command + Option + F (Mac) to open the format menu.
• Navigate to “Text color” or “Fill color” with the Arrow keys, and select an accessible color using Enter.

Using a Screen Reader

Enable screen reader support in Google Slides:

• Go to Tools > Accessibility settings and check “Enable screen reader support”.

Use screen reader-specific shortcuts for navigating slides:

• On PC, use Ctrl + Alt + Right/Left Arrow to move between slides.
• On Mac, use Command + Option + Right/Left Arrow.

Testing accessibility

• Keyboard-only navigation: Use Tab to navigate through content and ensure everything can be reached in a logical order.