Accessible Experiences
How to Write Useful Alt Text
Describe the purpose of informative images while leaving decorative visuals appropriately empty. Test pages with images unavailable and review key journeys with assistive technology users when possible.
Alternative text gives an equivalent purpose when an image cannot be seen. The right wording depends on the image’s role in that specific page, not only what objects appear. A reliable approach to alt text begins with evidence, proportionate controls and a clear next step.
Put the issue in context
Describe the purpose of informative images while leaving decorative visuals appropriately empty. The aim is a result the business can operate, verify and maintain.
A dependable approach
- Identify the purpose: Ask what information or action would be lost without the image.
- Be concise and specific: Describe relevant meaning without phrases such as image of.
- Handle functional images: Name the destination or action when an image is the only content of a link or button.
- Leave decoration empty: Use empty alternative text when the image adds no information and is correctly implemented.
If the work touches a live service, agree who can approve the change and how it will be reversed. That discipline is usually faster than diagnosing several unrecorded changes later.
One risk to watch
Do not insert keywords, filenames or the same caption into every image alternative.
The result to aim for
Test pages with images unavailable and review key journeys with assistive technology users when possible.
Related practical guides
For deeper technical background, see the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative. For hands-on help, explore SoftNSM's responsive website improvement or discuss the requirement.