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Images are missing descriptions for screen readers

What this means for your business

Images are missing text descriptions. Visitors who use screen readers (including many people with visual impairments) hear nothing when they reach these images. Google also uses alt text to understand and index image content.

How to fix it
Easy
20–40 minutes

  1. 1Add an alt attribute to every <img> tag: <img src="photo.jpg" alt="Description of the image">
  2. 2Write descriptions that explain what the image shows or its purpose — not just "image" or the file name.
  3. 3For purely decorative images (background patterns, dividers), use an empty alt attribute: alt="" — this tells screen readers to skip the image.
  4. 4For images that are links, describe the destination: <a href="/contact"><img src="phone.png" alt="Contact us by phone"></a>
  5. 5For complex images like charts or infographics, write a longer description or add it as text below the image.
  6. 6Use the WAVE browser extension (free, wave.webaim.org) to quickly identify all images missing alt text on a page.

On WordPress

When uploading images in the media library, always fill in the "Alt Text" field. For existing images, go to Media → Library, click each image, and add the alt text. The free "WP Accessibility" plugin can audit your site.

On Shopify

In Products → click a product → click on each image → fill in the "Image alt text" field. For theme images, edit the image tags in the liquid files to add descriptive alt attributes.

Pro tip: Alt text also improves SEO — Google Images uses alt text to understand and index your images, which can drive additional organic traffic.

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