Overview
This article helps students, faculty, and staff understand the best practices of screenshots to help meet digital accessibility standards in their content. It provides guidance on when it's appropriate to use screenshots and tips to ensure they are accessible. Always refer to ADA digital accessibility standards for the most up-to-date compliance requirements.
What is a Screenshot?
A screenshot is an image capture of what appears on a computer or mobile device screen. Screenshots are often used in instructional materials to demonstrate software interfaces or steps in a process. However, screenshots can create accessibility barriers because any text or important information within them becomes part of an image. Screen readers and other assistive technologies cannot interpret text inside images. Text-based instructions are the most accessible option.
Screenshots can be used to support explanations, not serve as the explanation itself.
Best Practices
- Use screenshots only when necessary. Include them when the information cannot be conveyed clearly through text alone, such as showing the location of a hard‑to‑describe button or menu.
- Always describe the image. Provide a clear explanation in the surrounding text and/or add alt text that communicates the purpose of the screenshot.
- Ensure screenshots are accessible. Keep them:
- Clear, high‑contrast, and not blurry
- Cropped to focus only on relevant content
- Up to date with the current user experience
- Avoid text‑heavy screenshots. If users must read the information, provide the text separately in an accessible format.
- Do not rely on color alone. Use arrows, boxes, or labels to point out important areas, and explain these markers in the accompanying text.
Still Need Help?
Creative Production offers help with document formatting, design, and redesign if needed. Please note, Creative Production cannot ensure accessibility for content created by other users. They may need to re-create a document to ensure accessibly, if you choose to use their services. Costs apply. Submit a ticket to request Creative Production services
IT Solutions primarily supports digital accessibility for academic and course-related materials including document accessibility, captioning and transcription services. Support for other content may be available if time allows, with costs applying to non-course materials. Submit a ticket to request IT Solutions services