Use Built-in Slide Layouts & Placeholders

Why it matters

Layouts provide structure that assistive technologies can interpret. Text placed in placeholders is announced consistently and appears in the reading order; floating text boxes can break navigation and order.

When you use PowerPoint's built-in slide layouts, you're creating a predictable structure that screen readers and other assistive technologies can navigate efficiently. This is crucial because:

  • Screen readers understand placeholders: They can identify titles, content areas, and other elements properly
  • Reading order is preserved: Content flows logically from one element to the next
  • Navigation is consistent: Users can jump between slides and elements predictably
  • Keyboard navigation works: Users can tab through elements in the correct order

Impact of poor structure

When presentations use floating text boxes instead of proper layouts:

  • Screen readers may skip content entirely
  • Reading order becomes unpredictable or illogical
  • Users may miss important information
  • Navigation becomes confusing and time-consuming

How to do it (Windows, Microsoft 365)

Step 1: Choose an appropriate layout

  1. Home → New Slide → choose a built-in layout that fits your content (e.g., Title and Content, Two Content, Comparison)
  2. Consider your content type when selecting:
    • Title Slide: For presentation opening
    • Title and Content: For single content areas with bullet points, images, or charts
    • Two Content: For side-by-side comparisons
    • Content with Caption: For images with descriptions
    • Blank: Only when absolutely necessary for custom designs

Step 2: Use content placeholders properly

  1. Avoid Insert → Text Box for main content
  2. Use content placeholders for text, images, tables, and charts
  3. Click directly on placeholder text (e.g., "Click to add text") to add content
  4. For images: click the image icon in content placeholders rather than using Insert → Pictures

Step 3: Reset when needed

  1. If a slide went off-structure due to manual tweaks: Home → Reset to match the layout
  2. This restores the original placeholder positions and formatting

Step 4: Custom structures via Slide Master

  1. Need a custom structure? Edit the Slide Master to add placeholders, not free-floating shapes
  2. Go to View → Slide Master
  3. Add placeholders using Slide Master → Insert Placeholder
  4. This ensures custom layouts maintain accessibility structure

Benefits of using layouts

For accessibility

  • Proper reading order for screen readers
  • Consistent navigation experience
  • Predictable structure across slides
  • Better keyboard navigation

For design consistency

  • Professional, uniform appearance
  • Easier to maintain brand standards
  • Faster slide creation
  • Simplified theme application

Common mistakes to avoid

❌ Don't do this

  • Using Insert → Text Box for main content instead of placeholders
  • Positioning content outside the slide canvas where it may not be accessible
  • Manually dragging and resizing placeholders excessively, breaking the layout integrity
  • Using "Blank" layout and recreating structure with text boxes
  • Ignoring layout purpose (e.g., using "Title and Content" but putting content in the title area)

✅ Do this instead

  • Choose the right layout first based on your content needs
  • Use placeholders as intended - titles in title areas, content in content areas
  • Create custom layouts in Slide Master when standard layouts don't meet your needs
  • Use Reset function to restore proper structure when slides become misaligned
  • Keep all critical content within the slide boundaries

Best practices

Before creating slides

  • Plan your content structure: Identify what type of content will go on each slide
  • Review available layouts: Familiarize yourself with built-in options
  • Consider creating custom layouts: If you'll need specific structures repeatedly

While creating slides

  • Layout first, content second: Choose the appropriate layout before adding content
  • Use placeholders consistently: Don't mix placeholders with text boxes on the same slide
  • Test navigation: Use Tab key to verify logical flow through slide elements

Quality assurance

  • Review slide structure: Use Reading Order Pane to verify all content is in proper placeholders
  • Check reading order: Ensure content flows logically for assistive technology users
  • Test with screen reader: If available, verify that content is announced correctly

Quick checklist

Before finalizing your slides:

  • ☐ All body text sits inside content placeholders (not drawn text boxes)
  • ☐ No critical content is positioned outside the slide canvas
  • ☐ Used Reset on slides where manual tweaks disrupted the layout
  • ☐ Each slide uses an appropriate built-in or custom layout
  • ☐ Placeholders are used for their intended purpose (titles in title areas, etc.)
  • ☐ Reading order flows logically when navigating with Tab key