NOTE: The instructions featured in this article were written based on Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows (Version 2412). The interface and features demonstrated below may vary based on the version of PowerPoint you use (eg, PowerPoint for web, PowerPoint for macOS). If your version differs from what is shown in this article, visit the Microsoft Support Center for PowerPoint accessibility tips customized for your version.

Slide titles help students easily navigate the slide presentations in your course. Slide titles are especially important for students who rely on screen readers to access course content. If you use PowerPoint's built-in layouts, missing slide titles should be less of an issue. If not, the steps below will walk you through the process of identifying and addressing missing slide titles.

Missing Slide Titles

1. Open your PowerPoint file and select the Review tab, then the Check Accessibility button.
   
2. If the accessibility checker finds missing slide titles in your PowerPoint, it will list them in the accessibility pane. Click Missing slide title from the list of found issues to navigate to the slide with the missing title.
   
3. In the screenshot below, you will notice that the accessibility checker identified a missing title even though it appears as though the slide has a title already. To fix this, click the box that contains the text you want to use as your slide title, then select the Set as Slide Title button. 
   
4. Click Approve to finalize your changes.
   
5. If a slide is missing a title and there is no obvious title already on the slide, select the Add Slide Title button from the accessibility pane.
   
6. Enter a title in the title box that appears on the slide, then click Approve.
   

Hidden Slide Titles

There may be instances where you do not want a title to be visible on your slide (eg, aesthetic reasons or wishing to reserve a slide’s content for information). The slide still needs a title to be accessible, so you can address this by adding a hidden slide title:

1. Select the slide within the accessibility checker, then click and drag the slide title box until it is just outside the slide.
   
2. As soon as you enter a title in the box, it will clear the error from the accessibility pane. Although the title will not display on your slide, screen readers will announce it so students can still navigate your presentation.

Checking and Adding Titles in Outline View

Another way to add missing slide titles is to use PowerPoint’s outline view.

1. In the outline view pane, you will see a numbered outline of your slides, along with their titles and text. Outline view makes it easy to scan your presentation and find slides with missing titles. In the screenshot below, notice that slide 7 is missing a title. 
   
2. In the outline view pane, click the slide you want to title and enter title text.
   

Duplicate Titles

It is important you avoid duplicate slide titles in your presentations. They make your slides harder to navigate. In the screenshot below, slides 5 and 6 have duplicate titles:

You can edit duplicate slide titles by adding words such as “Continued” or “Part A” and “Part B” so students can differentiate one from another.