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Part of Creating accessible documents

Document accessibility – Images and alt text

All document images must contain alt text, which is a written description of an image.

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Overview

Alt text, which is short for alternative text, is a written description of an image. All document images must contain alt text. The alt text must be concise but include enough information to relay the image's main features.

Pictures, screenshots, icons, charts, tables, infographics, and other images convey important meaning and information. If a reader cannot see the image, the information is unavailable without alt text.

How a screen reader reads alt text

Image considerations

How to add alt text

  1. Select the image.
  2. Right click or open the context menu with the applications key or press shift+F10.
  3. Choose Edit Alt Text.
  4. Add a concise description conveying the purpose of the image or object in the document.
  5. If an image is purely decorative, type “decorative" in the alt text box (do not check the ‘mark as decorative’ box).
  6. Close the dialog box (there is no ‘ok’ or ‘save’ button).

Considering context when writing alt text

How make an image in line with text

  1. Select and right click the image. 
  2. Under the 'Wrap Text' drop-down menu, select 'In line with Text.'
  3. Alternatively, select the image and use the ‘Picture Tools’ pane, then select ‘In line with Text.’

How to wrap an image and add alt text

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