Guidelines for writing alternative text

Be as descriptive as possible – be specific and describe the image in full. Do not make assumptions detailing a subjects’ purpose.

Keep description brief – the alt text of an image should stay under 125 characters.

Portez attention au contexte. Le texte alternatif pour une même image peut changer selon son contexte. Faites attention au message communiqué par l’image en lien avec le contenu de la page. 

Avoid using “image of” or “picture of” – users of assistive technology know when the are focused on an image. These phrases will get repetitive and not provide users with the information they need to understand the image.