As we celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 15, we're proud to spotlight the diverse voices that make TikTok a platform for creativity, self-expression, and community. Accessibility isn’t just a design feature – it’s a continued priority as we look to make the TikTok experience positive for everyone, including people with visual, auditory, motor and cognitive differences.

Accessibility in action: features that empower

We are continuously improving the TikTok experience to help people create, connect and enjoy content on TikTok. Our latest accessibility features include:

  • Alternative text for photos: We recently introduced alternative text for photo posts, which allows creators to add alt text during upload or after publishing. We're building on that by testing a new feature that leverages artificial intelligence to generate alt text which will be read out loud by screen readers. These features improve usability for people who are blind, have low vision, or process content differently.


@tiktoknewsroom

We’re testing a new feature that leverages artificial intelligence to generate alternative text, which will be read out loud by screen readers.

♬ original sound - TikTok Newsroom

Increase color contrast : Within the accessibility settings on TikTok, people can increase the color contrast with the color contrast switch. This feature increases the foreground color of text, icons, and user interface elements, making the platform more usable for individuals with low vision or sensitivity to low contrast.

Bold text support: TikTok now respects a user's device’s bold text setting, automatically displaying all in-app text in bold when enabled. This enhances readability for people who prefer or rely on bolder fonts.

These new features join our existing suite of accessibility tools, including auto-generated captions for videos, dark mode, text-to-speech and thumbnail animation. People can find all of these features on the redesigned accessibility settings page on TikTok, which makes it easier for people to navigate our features.

In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, we would also like to highlight some of the amazing creators on our platform that show up as their authentic self everyday and help spread awareness to others.

@accessbytay - Taylor Lindsay-Noel is an entrepreneur and creator from Toronto, Canada who uses her platform to inspire change. After a gymnastics accident left her paralyzed from the chest down, Taylor persevered, using her TikTok platform to help educate others on disability and accessibility awareness, all while breaking down stereotypes and advocating for change.

@imtiffanyyu – Tiffany Yu is the CEO & Founder of Diversability, a disability advocate, a 3x TEDx speaker, and the creator of The Anti-Ableism Series (5M+ views). At the age of nine, Tiffany became disabled as a result of a car accident that also took the life of her father.

@Hunterwoodhall - Hunter Woodhall has effectively utilized TikTok to inspire and connect with a global audience, leveraging his platform to share personal stories, promote inclusivity in sports, and advocate for the Paralympic movement.

@kaelynn_vp - Kaelynn Partlow, featured in Netflix's Love on the Spectrum U.S., leverages her TikTok platform to advocate for autism awareness by offering authentic insights into her experiences as a neurodivergent individual. Her content serves to challenge stereotypes, educate her audience, and foster a more inclusive understanding of autism.

Our ongoing commitment to accessibility

We know that when people feel seen, heard, and supported, they're empowered to share their stories, create and connect with others in meaningful ways. That's why we're focused on continuously building products that serve everyone. We see accessibility not just as a responsibility, but as an opportunity to innovate and foster a more inclusive platform for our global community.

This Global Accessibility Awareness Day, we invite you to explore content from creators with disabilities, try accessibility features, and join us in creating a platform that’s truly for all.

To explore all of TikTok's accessibility tools, please visit: https://www.tiktok.com/accessibility.