Reading Order with the Reading Order Pane

Why it matters

Screen readers and the 'Tab' key follow the order defined in the Reading Order Pane. Objects out of order can make slides confusing or unusable for people using assistive technologies.

Reading order determines how information is presented to users who cannot see the visual layout. This affects:

  • Screen reader users: Content is announced in the order specified by the Reading Order Pane
  • Keyboard navigation: Tab order follows the same sequence
  • Voice control software: Users rely on logical element naming and order
  • Mobile accessibility: Touch navigation may follow reading order

Impact of poor reading order

When reading order doesn't match logical content flow:

  • Users may hear conclusions before context
  • Related information gets separated and confusing
  • Navigation becomes unpredictable and frustrating
  • Users may miss important information entirely

Example: A slide with an image, caption, and bullet points might be read as "Caption, bullet point 3, image, title, bullet point 1, bullet point 2" instead of the logical "Title, image, caption, bullet point 1, bullet point 2, bullet point 3."

Understanding reading order

How PowerPoint determines reading order

  • Creation order: By default, objects are read in the order they were added to the slide
  • Layer order: Objects higher in the Reading Order Pane are read first
  • Visual position influence: Sometimes PowerPoint attempts to guess logical order based on position
  • Manual override: You can explicitly set the order using the Reading Order Pane

Logical reading patterns

Most content should follow these patterns:

Standard flow:

  1. Slide title
  2. Main content (left to right, top to bottom)
  3. Supporting visuals and captions
  4. Footer information

For complex layouts:

  1. Title
  2. Primary content area
  3. Secondary content area
  4. Related images/charts
  5. Captions and footnotes

Set and verify order (Windows)

Step 1: Open the Reading Order Pane

  1. Go to Home → Arrange → Selection Pane
  2. The Reading Order Pane will open, showing all objects on the current slide
  3. Objects are listed from bottom (read first) to top (read last)

Step 2: Review current order

  1. Look at the object list in the Reading Order Pane
  2. The bottom object will be read first, the top object last
  3. Click objects in the pane to see them highlighted on the slide
  4. Verify this matches your intended reading flow

Step 3: Reorder objects

  1. Select an object in the Reading Order Pane
  2. Use the up/down arrows at the top of the pane to move it
  3. Or drag objects to reorder them directly
  4. Remember: bottom = first read, top = last read

Step 4: Test the order

  1. Use Tab key to navigate through objects in order
  2. If available, test with a screen reader (Narrator on Windows)
  3. Verify the flow makes logical sense

💡 Pro tip: Keyboard testing

The easiest way to test reading order is to use the Tab key to navigate through slide objects. This follows the same order that screen readers will use.

Naming objects meaningfully

Rename objects (double-click their names in the Reading Order Pane) so they're meaningful and help users understand content purpose.

Default vs. meaningful names

❌ Default (unhelpful) names:

  • Picture 1
  • Text Box 2
  • Shape 3
  • Chart 4
  • Table 5

✅ Meaningful names:

  • Photo: Team meeting in conference room
  • Key takeaways
  • Call-out: Important deadline
  • Chart: Revenue by Quarter
  • Comparison table: Old vs. New Process

Naming conventions

  • Be descriptive: Include the object type and its content or purpose
  • Use consistent language: If you call one item "Chart," don't call similar items "Graph"
  • Keep it concise: Aim for 3-8 words that capture the essence
  • Avoid technical jargon: Use language your audience will understand

How to rename objects

  1. In the Reading Order Pane, double-click the object name
  2. Type a new, descriptive name
  3. Press Enter to confirm
  4. The new name will appear in the Reading Order Pane and be announced by screen readers

Grouping related objects

Group related items (Ctrl+G) so they move together and maintain order. This helps keep related content together in the reading sequence.

When to group objects

  • Image and caption: Keep photos with their descriptive text
  • Chart and title: Ensure charts are read with their labels
  • Multi-part graphics: Complex diagrams made of multiple shapes
  • Related text boxes: Quote and attribution, for example

How to group objects

  1. Select multiple objects by holding Ctrl and clicking each one
  2. Right-click and choose Group → Group (or use Ctrl+G)
  3. The grouped objects will appear as a single item in the Reading Order Pane
  4. You can rename the group to describe its contents

Managing grouped objects

  • Edit individual items: Right-click group → Group → Edit Group
  • Ungroup if needed: Right-click group → Group → Ungroup
  • Reorder groups: Move the entire group up or down in reading order

Handling decorative elements

Hide decorative elements (eye icon) during order checks or mark them decorative where applicable so they don't interrupt reading order.

What counts as decorative

  • Background graphics: Logos, design flourishes, borders
  • Purely visual elements: Shapes used only for aesthetics
  • Redundant images: Icons that duplicate text content
  • Spacer elements: Invisible shapes used for positioning

Methods for handling decorative elements

Option 1: Hide from reading order

  1. Select decorative objects in the Reading Order Pane
  2. Click the eye icon to hide them from assistive technologies
  3. They remain visible but won't be announced

Option 2: Move to end of reading order

  1. Move decorative elements to the top of the Reading Order Pane (read last)
  2. This ensures they don't interrupt important content
  3. May still be announced but won't break content flow

Option 3: Mark as decorative

  1. Right-click object → View Alt Text
  2. Check "Mark as decorative"
  3. This explicitly tells assistive technologies to ignore the object

Best practices

Before creating content

  • Plan your layout: Consider reading order when positioning elements
  • Use templates: Well-designed templates often have good default reading order
  • Think sequentially: Add content in the order you want it read

While building slides

  • Check reading order frequently: Don't wait until the end to verify order
  • Name objects as you create them: It's easier than doing it all at once later
  • Test with Tab navigation: Quick way to verify order makes sense

Quality assurance

  • Review each slide: Use the Reading Order Pane to verify logical flow
  • Consider your audience: What order would make most sense to them?
  • Test edge cases: Complex slides with multiple content areas need extra attention

Common reading order patterns

For slides with images and text:

  1. Title
  2. Main text content
  3. Image
  4. Image caption (if separate)

For comparison slides:

  1. Title
  2. Introduction/context
  3. Left column content
  4. Right column content
  5. Conclusion/summary

Quick checklist

Before finalizing each slide:

  • ☐ Title is first, followed by main content, then supplementary items
  • ☐ All object names are clear and non-generic
  • ☐ Decorative items do not interrupt reading order
  • ☐ Related objects are grouped together
  • ☐ Tab navigation flows logically through content
  • ☐ Complex slides have been tested with screen reader if available