Short definition
A written description of an image, added in the image’s HTML.
Beginner In plain English
Alt text describes an image for people who cannot see it, like screen reader users. Search engines read it too, to understand the picture.
Professional How pros use it
Write alt text for accessibility first: describe the image’s content and purpose concisely. Decorative images should have empty alt attributes. Keyword stuffing alt text helps no one.
Examples
- alt="Plumber replacing a kitchen sink trap".
- alt="" on a decorative divider image.
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