inclusive design

On International Day of Persons with Disabilities this year, Microsoft published a comprehensive year-in-review for Windows accessibility that consolidates a year’s worth of incremental but meaningful advances — from on-device AI dictation and expanded Voice Access language support to...

A local PC Users Group in Crossville, Tennessee is turning a community meeting into something larger: a hands-on conversation about how Windows 11 accessibility features can open computers to more people, whether they’re living with low vision, hearing loss, mobility challenges, or cognitive...

A subtle but significant transformation has arrived for Windows 11 insiders: after over a year of limbo, Microsoft is reintroducing the highly anticipated crosshair mouse pointer for users with low vision. This full-screen crosshair, designed to dramatically improve mouse tracking and...

Magnifier is an essential accessibility feature built into Windows that helps users with low vision to better interact with their screens. One often underutilized but incredibly powerful capability of Magnifier is its ability to read text aloud, converting visible on-screen information into an...

Magnifier, a built-in accessibility tool in Windows, is designed to improve on-screen visibility and offers a unique feature that allows screen text to be read aloud. While it has long served people with visual impairments, recent updates have expanded its utility to a broader range of users...

Navigating an increasingly digital world requires accessible tools that empower all users to interact comfortably and efficiently with their devices. For those leveraging Windows 10, accessibility is not an afterthought but a fundamental design pillar, evidenced by powerful tools like...

Creating an accessible workplace is not merely a legal obligation but a strategic imperative that fosters inclusivity, enhances productivity, and drives innovation. By integrating accessible technologies and practices, organizations can ensure that all employees, regardless of their abilities...

Every Windows update brings fresh attention to accessibility, as millions of users depend on their PCs not just for work or play, but as crucial gateways to communication, learning, and a sense of independence. With inclusivity at the heart of its user experience mission, Microsoft has invested...

Where growth happens, trust must follow. In the enterprise technology landscape, this idea has become more than advice; it’s a survival strategy. As organizations race to the cloud and digital transformation reshapes every industry, the relationship between security and user experience now forms...

Artificial intelligence has long promised a future of seamless integration and accessibility, but few innovations have so tangibly advanced these goals for the visually impaired as the recent unveiling of Dot Vista by Dot Inc. at Microsoft Build 2025. At a packed session in the Seattle...

Microsoft’s recent push for diversity and inclusion in the Asia-Pacific region has taken on new momentum with the introduction of the Microsoft Enabler Program. While much has been written about diversity initiatives in tech, rarely do we see a holistic, multi-pronged effort that directly...

For a feature hailed as one of Windows 11’s standout accessibility offerings, Voice Access has always had the most ironic flaw imaginable: it was inaccessible right where users needed it most. Yes, Microsoft revealed Voice Access with great fanfare—a tool included in Windows 11 that lets users...

How Ubisoft’s Open-Sourced Chroma Tool Marks a Watershed Moment in Game Accessibility The Challenge of Game Accessibility: An Industry at a Crossroads Video gaming has evolved from a niche pastime into a dominant force in global entertainment, captivating billions across every demographic...

Windows 11 continues its evolution as a platform that not only pushes the boundaries of performance and interactivity but also reaffirms its commitment to inclusivity. The latest Insider update, KB5055617, aims to revolutionize the user experience by significantly enhancing the built-in Narrator...

John Porter is an input and accessibility designer who is unable to use what so many take for granted: a keyboard and mouse. Porter relies almost entirely on his voice and speech recognition technology, in addition to switches (a series of buttons with pre-defined actions to cover a small range...

Today, I’m excited to share more information about the Windows 11 accessibility journey. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced its upped commitments and ambitions for accessibility. And, we recently introduced Windows 11. An early preview of Windows 11 is available to Windows Insiders today and...

According to new data published this year in the Lancet Global Health journal, there are around 252.6 million people affected by blindness and moderate-to-severe visual impairment worldwide. * At Novartis, we are committed to helping people with challenging healthcare issues. As one of the...

Microsoft is committed to accessibility as a core part of software design, and today we would like to share more about how Microsoft Edge is evolving to improve support for assistive technology beyond what was possible in Internet Explorer. Inclusive development is a journey, not merely a...