Images have no text alternative
Automated check image-alt, run with axe-core
- WCAG
- 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A)
- Severity
- Blocker: a task cannot be completed
- Typical effort
- Quick win, under 1 hour
- Category
- Content
Who this affects
Blind and low-vision visitors using a screen reader, and anyone on a slow connection where images fail to load.
Why it matters
The screen reader announces nothing, or reads out the raw filename. If the image is a product photo, a logo or a button, that information is simply gone. This is the most cited issue in accessibility complaints because it is trivially detectable by regulators.
How to fix it
Add an alt attribute to every <img>. Describe the purpose, not the picture: alt="Add to basket", not alt="shopping cart icon". If an image is purely decorative, use alt="" (empty, not missing) so assistive tech skips it.
Check your own website
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Related checks: Content
- Meters have no accessible name
- Progress bars have no accessible name
- Tooltips have no accessible name
- Table header cells are empty
- Image alt text duplicates nearby visible text
- Embedded objects have no text alternative
- Elements with role="img" have no text alternative
- Table scope attributes are used incorrectly