Alt Text: What to Write

Summary: Images are decorative, functional, or informative. Skip alt text for decorative. Describe the action for functional. Convey the message for informative.

Alt text, or alternative text, is a brief description added to images on a website, enabling screen readers to convey visual content to individuals with visual impairments. Well-crafted alt text is essential for ensuring web accessibility and usability. The best alt text takes into consideration the context of the image along with its purpose.

Writing Good Alt Text (When It’s Needed)

If an image is essential for a task or for understanding page content, it needs alt text. The following recommendations apply to every instance of alt text — regardless of the type of image it describes.

3 Steps for Deciding What Your Alt Text Should Include

Read the page copy surrounding the image to understand its purpose. Look for any references to the image or explanations of the image — especially if image captions are present. (Struggling to understand context is one reason AI does not write good alt text on its own.)