Accessible Images

  • Alternative text (or alt text) is provided for every image, chart, graph, and diagram
  • The alt text provided is meaningful to the context and it replaces (not describes) the images, charts, graphs, or diagrams. It is succinct, generally between 5 and 15 words, or about 100 characters, as demonstrated in this example of alt text for an image in Microsoft Word (opens new tab)4
  • All more complex images, charts, graphs, and diagrams include long descriptions near each one
  • Decorative images are labeled as decorative images
  • Color is not used as the only way representing information in an image5
  • There are no images of text (opens new tab)6
  • Flashing images are not used
  • Alt text should not include “picture of” or “image of” because screen readers already announce images with “image”
  • Use correct grammar

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Download Checklist: Digital Accessibility Checklist (Word Document)