meaningless-alt-text
Web validation
alt text must describe the image, not use a generic, placeholder, or auto-generated value.Alt text tells assistive technology what an image represents. Non-descriptive values, such as a generic word, leftover placeholder text, a file name, or an auto-generated ID, add noise and hide the image's real purpose.
Meaningful alt text helps people who cannot see the image understand it and navigate efficiently. A decorative image should instead use an empty alt so assistive technology skips it.
Pass Patterns
Short, specific alt text
The alt names what the image shows in a few clear words.
<img src="team-photo.jpg" alt="The Evinced team at the 2025 company retreat" />Decorative image with empty alt
The image is decorative, so an empty alt hides it from assistive technology.
<img src="divider.png" alt="" />Fail Patterns
Generic placeholder word
The alt is a generic word that says nothing about the image.
<img src="team-photo.jpg" alt="photo" />Developer placeholder text
The alt is a leftover placeholder or default text, not a real description.
<img src="avatar.jpg" alt="undefined" />File name as alt text
The alt is a numeric file name, which carries no meaning for the user.
<img src="123456789.jpg" alt="123456789.jpg" />Auto-generated identifier
The alt is an auto-generated label such as icon12 or image_42, not a description.
<img src="badge.svg" alt="icon12" />Asset hash or ID
The alt is a content-management hash or asset ID, which is meaningless to users.
<img src="hero.jpg" alt="a1bcdefghijklmn74p" />WCAG techniques
Sufficient techniques
- G94: Providing short text alternative for non-text content that serves the same purpose and presents the same information as the non-text content
- H37: Using alt attributes on img elements
Failure techniques
- F30: Failure of Success Criterion 1.1.1 and 1.2.1 due to using text alternatives that are not alternatives (e.g., filenames or placeholder text)
- F39: Failure of Success Criterion 1.1.1 due to providing a text alternative that is not null (e.g., alt="spacer" or alt="image") for images that should be ignored by assistive technology
ACT Rules
Try It Yourself
Using a screen reader
New to screen reader testing, or need a refresher?
Review this article first: Practical guides for using screen readers
- Load the page and open a screen reader.
- Navigate to each image.
- Listen to the announced name.
Expected results: The screen reader reads a clear description, or skips a decorative image.
Actual results: The screen reader reads an unhelpful value such as “photo”, “undefined”, or a file name.
Inspecting the browser dev-tools
- Inspect an image in your browser's dev tools.
- Open the Accessibility panel and read the Name.
- Check whether the Name describes the image.
Expected results: The Name is a concise description, or empty for a decorative image.
Actual results: The Name is a generic, placeholder, or auto-generated value that does not describe the image.
FAQ
How does this issue relate to 1.1.1 Non-text Content?
SC 1.1.1 requires a text alternative that serves the same purpose as the image. A generic, placeholder, or auto-generated value does not convey the image's purpose or information, so it fails the criterion.
Why is this issue marked as Critical?
People who rely on assistive technology miss the image's meaning and hear unhelpful filler instead. Because images appear throughout a site, the noise and lost information add up quickly.
Standards and Regulations
| Standard | Success Criterion | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| WCAG 2.2 | 1.1.1 Non-text Content (A) | All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose, except for controls/input, time-based media, tests, sensory experiences, CAPTCHA, and decoration/formatting/invisible content. |
| EN 301 549 | 9.1.1.1 Non-text Content | Same as the WCAG text. |
| Section 508 | 1194.22(a) | A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via “`alt`”, “`longdesc`”, or in-element content). |
| 508 Trusted Tester | 1.1.1-meaningful-image-name, 7.A | The accessible name and accessible description for a meaningful image provides an equivalent description of the image. |