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Email Accessibility Checklist

Creating emails with HTML can be a great tool for communication. Follow this checklist to ensure your emails are accessible to everyone!

Checklist

Structure

Web browser with an HTML icon in the center
  • Content is organized with headings and section titles.
  • Content is organized semantically and reads from top to bottom.
  • All headings are semantic (heading levels aren’t skipped. Ex. H1, H2, H3;)
  • Ordered and Unordered lists are used when applicable
  • Email subjects accurately reflect the purpose of the email.

Color

Text

Page icon with text
  • Text is left-aligned and follows standard formatting conventions
  • Text is not underlined (only link text should be underlined)
  • Bold and Italic text aren’t used as headings
  • Color alone is not used to convey meaning

Images

Portrait photo icon
  • All images have a descriptive alternative text
  • Images do not contain text. (Images like flyers should have a full text alternative clearly present on the page.)
  • Linked images use an alt text to describe what page the image links to.

For additional information see Reviewing images guidelines and Using flyers on the web

Links

Link icon
  • Link text is clear and descriptive for the user.
  • Link text makes sense when read out of context. (Avoid generic text like “Click here” and “Read More” as it doesn’t provide any information to the user.)
  • Links are not just page URLs.

Media

Video play button icon

Review

  • Emails have been sent and reviewed before mass distribution
  • Test emails have been reviewed on multiple devices (Desktop, Mobile, etc.)

More Information

Contact the Web Accessibility Team for questions or additional information about any checklist item.