Outlook Emails

Make accessible Outlook Emails using the built in accessibility checker

• Microsoft Office: Rules for the Accessibility Checker
• Microsoft Office: Use the Accessibility Checker on your Windows desktop to find accessibility issues

Adding Accessible Elements in Outlook Emails

• Headings
• Image Alternative Text 
• Links
• Lists
• Forms

 Headings in Emails in Outlook Emails

To Apply Headings:

1. Highlight the text chosen for the Heading. (To select text with the keyboard, place cursor at beginning of text, press and hold Ctrl+Shift and Right or Left Arrow to end of text to be highlighted).
2. Open the Styles Pane. (keyboard shortcut is ALT, O, FY).
3. Apply the appropriate Heading to the text in the main document. (Arrow up or down within Styles pane to find appropriate Heading).
4. To modify the heading styles, right click (Shift+F10) the style name.

Format e-mail messages with Quick Styles - Emails - Microsoft Outlook 

Alternative text in images for Outlook Email

To add alternative text to a picture in Word 2007 or in Outlook 2007, follow these steps:

1. In a Word 2007 document or in an Outlook 2007 e-mail message, insert a picture.
2. Click the picture that you inserted.
   Note: The Format tab under Picture Tools opens.
3. Perform one of the following actions:
   • In Word 2007, click the arrow in the lower-right corner of the Size group.
   • In Outlook 2007, click Size, and then click the arrow in the lower-right corner of the Size group.
   Note: The Size dialog box opens.
4. Click the Alt Text tab.
5. In the Alternative text box, type the alternative text, and then click Close.

or

1. Right-click the shape, picture, chart, border of the SmartArt graphic, or other object, and then click Size.
2. Click the Alt Text tab, and then in the Alternative text box, enter your text.

To add alternative text to a picture in Word 2010 or in Outlook 2010, follow these steps:

1. In a Word 2010 document or in an Outlook 2010 e-mail message, insert a picture.
2. Click the picture that you inserted.
3. Click the arrow in the lower-right corner of the Picture styles group.
4. Click the Alt Text option on the right side of the Format Picture dialog box.
5. In the Title: and Description: text boxes type the text you want to represent the picture, and then click Close.

Instructions from Support.microsoft.com

Adding Links to Word Documents, Excel Documents, Powerpoint Documents, and Outlook Messages

This text is from “Create or edit a hyperlink” on support.office.com, please read the full documentation through this link.

Applies To: Excel 2016, Word 2016, Outlook 2016, PowerPoint 2016, Office 2016, Excel 2013, Word 2013, Outlook 2013, PowerPoint 2013, Excel 2010, Word 2010, Outlook 2010, PowerPoint 2010, Excel 2007, Word 2007, Outlook 2007, PowerPoint 2007, Office 2007, Office 2010, Excel Starter 2010, Word Starter 2010, Office 2013

The fastest way to create a basic hyperlink in an Office document is to press ENTER or the SPACEBAR after you type the address of an existing webpage, such as http://www.contoso.com. Office automatically converts the address into a link.

In addition to webpages, you can create links to existing or new files on your computer, to email addresses, and to specific locations in a document. You can also edit the address, display text, and font style or color of a hyperlink.

Create a hyperlink to a location on the web

1. Select the text or picture that you want to display as a hyperlink.
2. On the Insert tab, click Hyperlink button .
   You can also right-click the text or picture and click Hyperlink on the shortcut menu.
3. In the Insert Hyperlink box, type or paste your link in the Address box.
   
   Note: If you don’t see the Address box, make sure Existing File or Web Page is selected under Link to.
   Optionally, type different display text for your link in the Text to display box.
   Note: If you don’t know the address for your hyperlink, click Browse the Browse the Web button to locate the URL on the Internet and copy it.

Optional: To customize the ScreenTip that appears when you rest the pointer over the hyperlink, click ScreenTip in the top-right corner of the Insert Hyperlink dialog box and enter the text you want.

Lists in Outlook

Use lists to show steps, action items, or key takeaways in your message. You can start with a new bulleted or numbered list, or convert existing paragraphs into a list.

• Click Message > Bullets  or Numbering  .

Keyboard shortcut    Type * (asterisk) to start a bulleted list or 1. to start a numbered list, and then press Spacebar or the Tab key.

Forms

Please feel free to link to a secure online form in your email.

Although it is possible to create forms in Microsoft Outlook, we strongly recommend not using word doc, excel, outlook, or pdf forms, but rather using web based forms instead for security and accessibility reasons. Please read this section about forms from our help site top learn more about forms and making them on our website.