Inclusive email practices make your messages clearer, easier to navigate, and more useful for everyone. Someone reading on a small screen, scanning quickly between meetings, using a screen reader, or reading in a second language all benefit from the same things: plain language, clear structure, meaningful links, and well-described images. This guide covers the practices that make the biggest difference. Steps are written for Outlook. Many of the same practices apply in Gmail and other email programs, though menus and options vary.
Write in Plain Language
Plain, direct language helps all readers, especially those with cognitive differences, non-native speakers, and anyone reading quickly or under pressure.
- Write a specific subject line. Say what the email is about and any action needed, such as “Action needed by Nov. 6: Spring registration.”
- State the action first. Tell the reader what to do before explaining why.
- One idea per sentence. Break complex instructions into separate sentences.
- Use active voice. Write “Email your assignment to me” rather than “Assignments should be emailed.”
- Be specific about deadlines. Write “by 11:59 PM Pacific on May 14” rather than “soon” or “end of the week.”
- Spell out abbreviations the first time you use them.
Less clear: In light of the current circumstances, recipients are advised that submission of the relevant materials should occur via the alternate method that was previously communicated.
More clear: Please email your completed form to [hr@university.edu] by 5:00 PM on May 14.
Use Built-In Structure
Screen reader users move through an email by headings and lists, the same way sighted readers skim. Formatting that only looks like structure, such as bold text or typed dashes, is read as plain text.
- Headings: For longer emails, use Outlook’s built-in heading styles instead of making text bold or larger. In Outlook for Windows, go to Format Text > Styles.
- Lists: Use the Bullets or Numbering buttons. Typed dashes, asterisks, or numbers are not recognized as lists.
- Tables: Avoid using tables to arrange layout. If you need a data table, keep it simple and give it a header row.
How to add a table header row
- Click anywhere in the table.
- Open the Table Design tab and check Header Row.
- Open the Layout tab and select Repeat Header Rows so screen readers recognize the first row as headers.
Add Alt Text to Images
Alt text is a written description of an image. Screen readers read it aloud, and it also appears when an image fails to load. Without it, readers who can’t see the image miss the information it was meant to convey, whether that’s instructions, a date, or the point of a chart.
Every informational image in your email needs alt text. Decorative images, such as dividers or background flourishes, should be skipped by screen readers. In most programs, including Word, PowerPoint, and Canvas, you do this with a “Mark as decorative” option. Outlook doesn’t have that option, so leaving the alt text field empty is the identified workaround.
How to add alt text in Outlook
The steps below are for Outlook. In Gmail, right-click an inserted image and select Alt text.
- Insert your image via Insert > Pictures.
- Right-click the image and select Edit Alt Text. On a Mac, you can also go to Format > Alt Text from the menu bar.
- Type a description in the panel that opens on the right.
- For decorative images, leave the alt text field completely empty. This applies only to Outlook, which doesn’t offer a “Mark as decorative” option. Wherever that option exists, use it instead of leaving the field blank.
Why not leave the field blank everywhere? In programs that offer “Mark as decorative,” an empty field can look like alt text that was forgotten. Accessibility checkers may flag it, and some screen readers may read the file name instead. Marking the image as decorative tells everyone it was skipped on purpose.
What to write
Describe what the image communicates, not just what it looks like. Aim for one to two sentences. Avoid starting with “Image of” or “Picture of” — screen readers already announce that an image is present.
- Logo: “Office of Student Affairs logo.”
- Chart: “Bar chart showing final grade distribution: 40% A, 35% B, 20% C, 5% D or F”
- Decorative divider: Leave the alt text field empty (Outlook only).
Flyers and QR codes
Never send a flyer as an image by itself. Even with alt text, readers may not get every detail. Put the key information (what, when, where, and how to register) as real text in the body of the email. If the flyer includes a QR code, include a link too, so no one has to scan a code to reach the information.
Signature images
If your email signature includes a logo, it also needs alt text.
- Windows: Go to File > Options > Mail > Signatures, select your signature, right-click the logo, and choose Edit Alt Text.
- Mac: Go to Outlook > Settings > Email > Signatures, select your signature, and right-click the logo to access alt text options.
If your name and institution already appear as text next to the logo, leave the alt text field empty (Outlook’s workaround for decorative images) so screen readers skip it. Use a text-based signature rather than a single image with your contact details inside it.
Use Descriptive Hyperlink Text
Screen readers can pull all links out of an email and read them as a list. Link text like “click here” or a raw URL tells the reader nothing about where the link goes.
- Use: “View the Week 13 assignment instructions (Google Doc).”
- Use: “Schedule a 20-minute office hours appointment.”
- Avoid: “Click here.”
- Avoid: “https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xKz…”
How to insert a hyperlink
- Select the descriptive text you want to link.
- Press Ctrl+K (Windows) or Cmd+K (Mac).
- Confirm the Text to display field shows your descriptive text.
- Paste the URL in the Address field and click OK.
Make Text Easy to Read
- Choose a sans-serif font such as Aptos, Calibri, or Arial, at 12-point or larger.
- Keep strong contrast between text and background. Dark text on a light background is the most reliable choice.
- Don’t rely on color alone to show meaning. Instead of “items in red are required,” add a word such as “Required.”
- Limit all caps, italics, and underlining. Long stretches are harder to read, and underlining signals a link.
- Skip emoji and decorative symbols. Screen readers announce their full names, which interrupts the message.
Check Attachments
Attached Word files, PDFs, and slides need the same care as the email itself. Check them before sending, or share the key information in the body of the email or on a web page instead.
Run the Accessibility Checker Before Sending
Outlook’s built-in Accessibility Checker scans your email and flags issues before you send. Run it before sending any important email. Gmail does not have a built-in checker, but the practices in this guide cover the most common issues.
- In your composed email, find Check Accessibility:
- Select Check Accessibility.
- Review the results panel. Fix all Errors before sending. Address Warnings when possible.
The checker catches common technical issues, but not everything. Unclear link text or a confusing message still needs a quick reread.
Get warnings while you write
Outlook runs the checker automatically as you compose and shows a tip at the top of the message when it finds an issue.
- Windows: To adjust when warnings appear, go to File > Options > Accessibility (called Ease of Access in some versions) and choose Show me accessibility warnings while I work.
- Mac: Run the checker manually before sending.
