Texas Tech University

Accessible Emails

Not all people access emails the same way. Some recipients are using assistive technology to read emails. Because of this, it is important to format your email properly for accessibility.

Accessible Email Checklist

  • Create a descriptive subject line. This will help users know if this email is significant to read or not.

  • Use Headings where necessary. For longer emails, break up your content and use headings to help navigate the email easily. 

  • Pay attention to color contrast. If the color contrast is too low, some people will not be able to see your content.

  • Don't put important information in images alone. If the significant information of an email is hidden in an image, some users will not see it. Repeat this information in the text below the image if necessary.

  • Use alternative text for all images. Adding an alternative text allows users of assistive technology to understand the content contained in images.

  • Use descriptive links. When creating links, describe the content in the link text instead of using "Click Here" or full URLs.

  • Include a plain-text version of the email. For emails that are primarily composed of visual elements, it would be helpful to create a plain-text version of the email. This version will contain only the text from the email and may be preferable to those using screen readers. 

Contact us at elearning.oa@ttu.edu with any additional questions about accessible emails or accessibility in general.

Additional Links

Accessibility in Email Marketing from MailChimp

Make your Outlook email accessible from Microsoft

Online Accessibility at Texas Tech