What does Alt Text mean?
Alt text is a written description of an image, read aloud by screen readers.
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Platform term. Also written alternative text, image description.
Where it comes from
From the HTML alt attribute, part of the web since the mid-1990s. Social platforms added support much later — Twitter in 2016, Instagram in 2018 — after sustained pressure from disabled users.
How it is actually used
Written for someone who cannot see the image, so it describes what matters rather than listing everything. Good alt text is specific and brief; "image" or a repeated caption is useless. Beyond accessibility it is machine-readable, so it also helps platforms and search engines understand a picture. Most platforms auto-generate it poorly, which is why writing it yourself matters.
Examples
- "added alt text to every image in the thread"
- "alt text is not optional"
- "the auto alt text just said 'may be an image of text'"
Can a brand use it? Safe for brands
Safe, and genuinely the single highest-value habit on this list for a brand account. Writing real alt text is visible, cheap and one of the few accessibility practices an audience will thank you for publicly.
Related terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What is alt text?
A written description of an image that screen readers announce to people who cannot see it.
How long should alt text be?
Long enough to convey what matters and no longer — usually a sentence. Describe the point of the image, not every detail.
Does alt text help SEO?
Yes, secondarily. It is machine-readable and helps search engines understand the image, but accessibility is its actual purpose.
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