On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) becomes enforceable—–an important step forward for accessibility in the EU and around the world. It sets a new bar for digital accessibility and disability rights, enabling disabled people to fully participate in society and the economy. Accelerating technology and innovation will make it easier for everyone, including 110+ million disabled people across the EU. Microsoft has supported the EAA since its introduction in December 2015.
The EAA is a catalyst for advancing the accessibility of digital products and services throughout the European Single Market. It harmonizes accessibility requirements across Member States and establishes a strong framework for future policies, including AI and accessibility. It requires digital products and services, from banking apps to e-readers, to be accessible and it brings clarity and consistency of experience across the EU market.
Our approach to the EAA
Accessibility is a journey that we have been committed to for over 30 years. We view accessibility as a fundamental right, core to Microsoft’s mission to empower every person. It serves a crucially important function, making technology accessible, and easier to use for everyone.
We are committed to making sure that our products and services comply with the European Accessibility Act and are grateful to the hundreds of engineers across the company who have prioritized this work over the last three years. We invested in accessibility in some of our leading products, including Windows, Teams, and Outlook, collaborating with policymakers, accessibility professionals, and community members to deliver on EAA requirements.
The EAA is a new, complex regulatory framework that is still evolving. The ongoing transposition and harmonization of related standards will determine the steps we all need to take. We will constantly evaluate our products, services, and data uses as understanding and regulatory interpretation of the EAA evolve.
Regulation driving innovation
Our work on the EAA has yielded new features, which we’re proud to announce today:
- Real-time text (RTT) in Teams provides a new way for people, including individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, to participate in meetings, directly addressing both EAA requirements and the needs of our customers.
- We made it easier to find, learn, and use accessibility features with broadened and standardized support documentation on www.microsoft.com/accessibility.
- Unboxing products is easier, more welcoming for all, and better for the planet. Our approach is detailed in the ‘creating accessible packaging’ toolkit.
- We are excited to launch enhanced support for developers to upload closed captions and audio descriptions for app and game trailers, making content available to everyone.
The EAA has evolved and has also shaped implementation of AI–driven accessibility in many of our features, including Copilot and Immersive Reader. The EAA’s requirements will continue to be a guidepost for the accessibility of future AI innovation.
Helping customers prepare for the EAA
We are committed to helping organizations succeed by providing the technology and tools they need to thrive in the AI economy. We start with Microsoft as Customer Zero, then we share our learnings with others. We are launching this today on a new site: aka.ms/EAAOverview. It includes:
1. Getting Started with the EAA
If you’re wondering where to begin, start with our Overview of the EAA. It breaks down which products and services are in scope and how to prepare. Today, we’re launching industry guides for retail, transport, finance, media & telco, and government, packed with practical tips to help you turn accessibility into a business advantage.
2. Microsoft’s Approach
We’ve learned a lot on our journey. Some of the tools and frameworks that helped us include:
- Inclusive Design: Start early. Our Inclusive Design Framework helps you reduce rework, improve usability, and build products that work for everyone.
- Horizon Model: Helps you plan for long-term growth by investing in people, accessible tech, and innovation.
- Accessibility Insights: Our free, open-source tool, Accessibility Insights, helps teams find and fix accessibility issues fast. It integrates with GitHub and Azure Boards and supports three flexible testing modes.
Ready to take the next step? You can build your own Copilot agent, designed inclusively from the start, and use Accessibility Insights to catch issues early. And if you or your customers need support, our Disability Answer Desk is here to help with accessibility questions, troubleshooting, and product guidance.
Looking forward
June 28 is a starting line, not the finish line. This foundational legislation is an important step for compliance and a catalyst for the next generation of accessible technology innovation. We look forward to learning and partnering with you on the journey. We are proud to host an event with our partner, the European Disability Forum, in Brussels for the European Accessibility Summit 2025 14 October 2025 (in person and virtual). Join us and register now.
We are committed to continuing to drive conversations on accessibility and disability rights with policy makers, regulators, industry peers, and the disability community throughout the year, viewing the EAA as a vital step toward reimagining how technology can serve everyone, everywhere.