Alt Text
Descriptive text assigned to images via the HTML alt attribute, providing content information when images cannot be displayed or for screen reader users.
Alt text (alternative text) is the value of the alt attribute on HTML <img> tags, describing an image's content in words. It appears when images fail to load and is read aloud by screen readers for visually impaired users, making it essential for web accessibility.
Effective alt text concisely describes what the image communicates. For a product photo, write something like "red leather tote bag, front view" rather than generic prefixes like "image of" or "photo of." Purely decorative images should use empty alt (alt="") so screen readers skip them.
Alt text also impacts SEO, as Google Image Search uses alt attributes to understand image content. Including relevant keywords naturally is recommended. Setting alt text on all meaningful images is a fundamental aspect of image optimization and web accessibility. For detailed guidance, see the Image Accessibility Guide.