Images are an important part of web content, but not all users can see them.
Alternative text helps describe images for users who rely on screen readers.
What Is Alternative Text
Alternative text, often called alt text, provides a written description of an image.
Screen readers read this text aloud to visually impaired users.
Why Alt Text Is Important
Alt text ensures that information in images is not lost.
It also improves accessibility, SEO, and user experience.
Without alt text, screen readers cannot describe the image to the user.
Now screen readers can explain what the image shows.
Writing Good Alt Text
Good alt text should:
- Be short and clear
- Describe the purpose of the image
- Avoid unnecessary words
Decorative Images
Images that are only decorative should have empty alt text.
This tells screen readers to skip the image.
Functional Images
If an image is clickable or has a function, the alt text should describe the action.
Common Alt Text Mistakes
- Leaving alt text empty for important images
- Writing very long descriptions
- Using file names as alt text
Why Alt Text Matters for Jobs
Accessibility is a professional standard.
Employers expect developers to write proper alt text.
Practice Task
Add alt text to all images on a webpage. Decide which images are decorative and which are meaningful.
What You Will Learn Next
In the next lesson, you will learn how to make forms accessible using proper labels.