What is Alternative Text?

[low, steady music throughout]

Voice Over (VO): What is Alternative Text?

(VO):Alternative text, also known as alt text, is descriptive text that conveys the meaning of an image in digital content. It’s designed to make visual content accessible to people with vision disabilities. While there are other benefits of alt text for all users, this video focuses on people who use screen readers.

[Video: Blind person using a computer with headphones]

(VO):When a person uses a screen reader, the screen reader will read the onscreen text aloud using text-to-speech technology. When the screen reader reaches an image, it will announce that it has detected an image and read the alt text for that image so the user can know what the image is meant to convey.

[Video: Another blind person using a computer with headphones]

(VO):Without alt text, people who use screen readers cannot access the information provided in the images. This is why alt text is a requirement in the Section 508 standards for creating digital content.

[Screen Recording: Image in Microsoft Word. The cursor follows the instructions described in the voiceover.]

(VO):Different authoring tools will have different ways of adding alt text. For example, to add alt text to an image in Microsoft Word, open the contextual menu (right-click) of the image, select “View Alt Text,” then enter text that appropriately describes the image and communicates its purpose.

[Image: Symbol representing a photo and Text: alt =]

(VO):When writing alt text, follow these guidelines to ensure the text is as helpful and meaningful as possible.

[Screen Recording: Image in Microsoft Word. The cursor follows the instructions described in the voiceover.]

(VO):If an image is only decorative and does not convey meaningful information, set the alt text as decorative so that screen readers recognize that the image does not need to be announced and can be skipped. In Microsoft Word, you can do this by viewing the alt text and checking the box that says, “Mark as decorative.” Any program you use should also have its own specific guidance on how to do this.

[Image: Symbol representing a photo with Text: alt = “Screenshot of a phone screen”]

(VO):Avoid using default or AI-generated alt text, since these descriptions usually do not communicate the actual purpose of the image. For example, an AI may describe a screenshot of a form as, “Screenshot of a phone screen.” However, if the image is intended to show how to use the form, the alt text will need to describe the content of the screenshot to make the description meaningful.

[Image: GSA Section 508 logo, and Text: alt = “GSA logo with text: Section508.gov Buy. Build. Be Accessible.”]

(VO):If your image or logo contains text, make sure the alt text repeats that text word for word. For example, for this logo of Section508.gov, the alt text says, “GSA logo with text: Section 508 dot gov. Buy. Build. Be Accessible.”

[Image: Symbol representing a photo, with Text: alt = “[thick lines representing several lines of text]”]

(VO):Keep your descriptions short and focused on the purpose of the image. Avoid repeating information that is already in the main text, and don’t use unnecessary phrases, like “this is a photo of…” or descriptions of irrelevant details in the image. For example, if your image is designed to show how a ramp helps wheelchair users, you do not need to include an in-depth description of the wheelchair user’s clothes or physical appearance in your alt text.

[Image: Person using a computer with headphones]

(VO):For more guidance on alt text and accessibility, visit the resources for content creators on Section508.gov.

[Image: GSA logo]

(VO):This video is a product of the General Services Administration.