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Checking the accessibility of your email in Outlook

This article explains how to check the accessibility of your email when you are using Outlook.

The following instructions will show you how to launch the accessibility checker on:

  • Outlook Web Access (from any browser)
  • New Outlook desktop application for Windows
  • Classic Outlook desktop application for Windows
  • New Outlook desktop application for Apple

Overview

You can check the accessibility of your email by using the Check accessibility function.

Through the Accessibility Checker, you can:

  • Reviews your content 
  • Flags accessibility issues it comes across
  • Explains why each issue might be a potential problem 
  • Suggests how you can resolve the issues that appear.

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Step-by-step instructions 

Outlook Web Access

1. Open the web version of Outlook

2. Select the New email button to create a new email

3. Type the content of your email. Once finished, select the Options tab from the toolbar:

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4. Select the Checking accessibility button to check your content:

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5. This opens the accessibility inspector that identifies any issues and will help you fix them

6. Select the Fix this button to read the recommendations and make your content more accessible

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New Outlook desktop application for Windows

1. Open Outlook desktop application

2. Select the New email button to create a new email

3. Type the content of your email. Once finished, select the Options tab from the toolbar:

""

4. Select the Checking accessibility button to check your content:

""

5. This opens the accessibility inspector that identifies any issues and will help you fix them

6. Select the Fix this button to read the recommendations and make your content more accessible

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Classic Outlook desktop application for Windows

Launching the Check accessibility inspector

1. Open Outlook desktop application

2. Select the New email button to create a new email

3. Type the content of your email. Once finished, select the Review tab from the toolbar:

""

4. Select the Check accessibility button

5. This opens the accessibility inspector that identifies any issues and will help you fix them

Turn on the option "Show me accessibility warning while I’m working"

You can turn on the option "Show me accessibility warning while I’m working" on Classic Outlook desktop application. 

This function turns on automatically the accessibility checker and show accessibility warning while you’re warning.

Turn it on (or change the settings) as follows:

1. Open Classic Outlook desktop application

2. Select File from the toolbar

3. Select Options from the sidebar on the left

4. Select Accessibility

5. In the section "Accessibility checker options" select the radio button Show me accessibility warning while I'm working or set the warning as you like:

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6. Select OK to apply the changes and close the window

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New Outlook desktop application for Apple

1. Open Outlook desktop application

2. Select the New email button to create a new email

3. Type the content of your email. Once finished, select the Check Accessibility tab from the toolbar:

""

4. This opens the accessibility inspector that identifies any issues and will help you fix them

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Related content

Good practice for writing links

Good practice for formatting headings in Word 

Make your Outlook email accessible to people with disabilities (external source)

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