Alt text review checklist.

Page-by-page review

• List every meaningful image on the page, including images inside cards, links, galleries, headers, and footers
• Decide whether each image is informative, functional, decorative, redundant, or complex
• Compare the image with nearby headings, captions, visible text, and link labels before writing alt text

Images that need alt text

• Product and service images describe the useful product, service, or visible detail
• Team photos include useful names, roles, or context when not already visible nearby
• Event and community photos explain who or what is shown when the image adds information
• Notice images, posters, and flyers have the important notice information available as real text

Images that can be decorative

• Decorative flourishes, dividers, patterns, and redundant thumbnails use alt=""
• Empty alt is not used for linked images, charts, notices, or primary content images without review

Linked images

• Image links have visible link text or alt text that names the destination/action
• Linked logo images clearly identify the home or organization link
• Generic linked-image labels like image, photo, logo, and banner are replaced

Charts, infographics, and screenshots

• Chart alt text gives the main takeaway
• Detailed chart data or infographic content is provided in nearby text or a table
• Screenshots identify the interface and the point users need to understand

Logos and repeated text

• Logos use the organization or product name when the image identifies the brand
• Repeated alt text is intentional, not copied across unique content images
• Filename-like alt text such as IMG_1234.jpg, DSC0001, and image.png is replaced

Content editor workflow

• Review alt text before publishing new pages, posts, products, events, or notices
• Run the alt text checker on pasted HTML for common patterns
• Compare hard cases with the alt text examples
• Run the website accessibility checker before handoff

Automated checks can detect missing or suspicious alt text, but a person still needs to judge whether each description is meaningful in context.

Recommended next steps

Alt text checker Classify pasted HTML image alternatives. Alt text examples Review practical bad, better, and best examples. Alt text guide Read plain-English guidance for editors and agencies.