Provide Alt Text for Images
Images and other visual elements need a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose. This means all content that requires the sense of sight to be perceived needs a text alternative.
What Is Alt Text?
Alternative text (alt text) is a brief text description of an image that conveys the same essential information. Alt text can also be provided for other visual elements, including graphs, charts and tables.
Alt text is read aloud to those using assistive technology to interact with digital content. When you don’t provide alt text, the screen reader only reads the word “image,” which doesn’t provide meaning or an equitable experience for the user. Alt text also displays when an image doesn't load on a page, such as when you have a slow internet connection. Alt text is meant to be a textual alternative for people who cannot see (for whatever reason) the image itself.
Alt text should be added to images, charts and graphs in websites, applications, digital documents, and other electronic communications.
Writing Alt Text for Images
Describe what the image is contributing to the content of the page, typically by describing what you see. When writing alt text, think about the reason you are adding the image in the first place — that may help you identify the value the image is adding from a content perspective.
Tips for Writing Equivalent Alt Text
- Be specific.
- Be mindful of context.
- Keep it short.
- Aim for <125 characters.
- Don’t include “picture of,” “image of,” etc.
Learn more about writing effective alt text
Tips for Complex Graphics
For charts and infographics, focus on a key interpretation of the data that an average person would be able to take away from looking at the graphic. This is especially appropriate when the information in the graphic is present in another way on the same page, such as in surrounding text or a table with the same data points.
Some complex graphics may require an equivalent alternative, such as linking to a page or text file that describes the graphic in detail.
Alt Text vs. Captions
It can be helpful to distinguish between alt text and captions. Alt text should provide information that would be available for a sighted person by simply looking at the image, whereas a caption can provide additional context.
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Image |  |
| Caption | Reveille, the highest ranking member of the Corps of Cadets, leads the Corps' procession with her handler, Theodor Neal, the 2023-2024 Mascot Corporal. |
| Image Description / Alt Text | Texas A&M University mascot Reveille leads the Corps of Cadets marching through campus. |
| Citation | Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications |
Decorative Images
Not all images and graphics provide content — some are purely decorative. For example, borders, textures and other similar graphical elements don’t usually provide value as content (though they may help the design be more visually appealing).
For purely decorative elements, alt text is not required. In most accessible enterprise software and content management systems (CMSs), you can check a box to mark an image as decorative so a screen reader will skip it. If you are coding a website, you will need to use code to properly identify the image as decorative.
Don’t Use Images of Text
Don’t use images of text on your website except where absolutely necessary or for branding purposes, e.g., your logo. If images of text must be used, they must have a textual alternative that provides equivalent information.
The biggest offenders we tend to see on Texas A&M University websites include:
- Flyers promoting events added as images
- Graphics to promote events
The more words included in an image of text, the more difficult it is to provide an accessible alternative.
Why Can't I Use Images of Text?
- Text in an image cannot reflow or resize to be legible on small screens.
- Images of text (JPGs, PNGs, etc.) cannot be enlarged without becoming blurry.
- Screen readers cannot read content inside of an image and rely on the alt text, which is read as one run-on sentence.
Related Resources
Get tips on adding alt text to different types of images — including functional images, images of text, and more — to websites.
Learn how to upload images with alt text when using an Aggie UX Cascade site.
Learn how to create meaningful Alt Text for shapes, pictures, charts, SmartArt graphics, or other objects to allow users to understand the image and its associated context.
Foundational Accessibility Concepts
Learning foundational accessibility concepts will help you create more accessible content regardless of tool or platform.