Add alternative text to images in Word

It's important that meaningful images have a text alternative. This ensures that the content of the document is accessible to everyone. People who cannot see the image will understand the content and purpose of the image when the alternative text is read aloud by a tool.

Images that do not add any relevant information for users should be marked as decorative and should not have any alternative text, so that screen readers will ignore them.

1. Right-click on an image in your document and select View Alt Text.
2. You can also click on the Alt Text button located under the Picture Format tab, in the Accessibility section.
3. Write a brief description of the image in the text box.
4. If the image is purely decorative, check the box Mark as decorative. If a description of the image would not add information for the reader, you should mark it as decorative. For example, background images with patterns are often decorative.

Tip!

A good alternative text briefly describes the most important content of the image and conveys the purpose of the image in one to two sentences. Focus on what the image communicates: a trend, comparison, process, or feeling. Avoid repeating information from the image text and do not start with "image of," as the screen reader already informs the user that it is an image. Specify the type of image, such as diagram or photo, at the end of the text.