Alt Text

What is it for?

Some people cannot see the images we display. This includes people who are blind or have low vision. It also includes people with slow internet, little data, or low battery.

Using alternative text (alt text) ensures that everyone can understand the image content, even if they cannot see it. However, if an image is purely decorative and adds no extra information, give it an empty alt attribute (alt="") so screen readers skip it.

How to support it

• Write short, descriptive text that conveys the actual meaning and context of the image
• Avoid redundant phrases like ‘image of’, as screen readers already announce that
• Leave the description empty for purely decorative elements so assistive tools can skip them
• Plan for alt text during the design and content creation phases instead of at the end
• Use built-in accessibility checkers in software like Microsoft Office to catch missing descriptions

Useful links

• WebAIM Alternative Text (external site)
• Write helpful Alt Text to describe images (external site)
• What’s the alternative? How to write good alt text (external site)