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Alternative Text

Alternative text (alt text) provides descriptions of images for users who cannot see them.

Why Alt Text Matters

Alt text serves users who:

  • Use screen readers
  • Have images disabled
  • Have slow internet connections
  • Use text-based browsers

Good alt text conveys the same information that a sighted user would get from the image.

Adding Alt Text

To a Single Image

Select the Image

Click on the image in your document

Open Properties

Right-click and select Edit Alt Text or click Tools → Accessibility → Set Alternative Text

Write Description

Enter a description that conveys the image’s meaning

Save

Click OK to apply

To Multiple Images

  1. Click Tools → Accessibility → Set Alternative Text
  2. Use Next to move through images
  3. Add alt text to each
  4. Click Done when finished

Writing Good Alt Text

Be Concise

Describe the essential information in 1-2 sentences.

Good: “Bar chart showing sales increased 25% from Q1 to Q4 2024”

Too long: “This is a bar chart with four bars representing quarters. The first bar is blue and shows Q1 with $100,000 in sales. The second bar…”

Be Specific

Include relevant details that matter for understanding.

Good: “Company logo - Penvio”

Better: “Penvio logo - stylized letter P in blue”

Convey Purpose

Describe what the image communicates, not just what it shows.

Poor: “Graph with lines”

Good: “Line graph showing steady user growth from 1,000 to 50,000 over 12 months”

Context Matters

Consider how the image relates to surrounding content.

For an image in a tutorial: Good: “Screenshot showing the File menu with Export option highlighted”

For the same image in marketing: Good: “Penvio’s intuitive menu interface”

Alt Text Examples

Photos

Image TypeAlt Text Example
Portrait”Dr. Sarah Chen, Chief Medical Officer”
Product”Wireless headphones in matte black finish”
Location”Company headquarters building in San Francisco”
Event”Team celebrating product launch with champagne”

Charts and Graphs

Chart TypeAlt Text Example
Bar chart”Bar chart: Sales by region - North 40%, South 25%, East 20%, West 15%“
Line graph”Line graph showing temperature rising from 60°F to 85°F between 6am and 2pm”
Pie chart”Pie chart of budget allocation: Marketing 35%, Development 45%, Operations 20%“

Screenshots

Screenshot TypeAlt Text Example
UI element”Settings dialog with Privacy tab selected”
Error message”Error dialog: ‘File not found’ with OK button”
Form”Contact form with name, email, and message fields”

Diagrams

Diagram TypeAlt Text Example
Flowchart”Flowchart showing order process: Order placed → Payment verified → Item shipped → Delivered”
Org chart”Organization chart with CEO at top, three VPs below, and department managers under each VP”
Technical”Circuit diagram of basic LED with resistor connected to 5V power supply”

Decorative Images

Some images don’t convey information:

  • Background patterns
  • Decorative borders
  • Spacer images
  • Purely aesthetic graphics

Mark these as decorative so screen readers skip them:

  1. Select the image
  2. Open alt text dialog
  3. Check Decorative image or Mark as artifact

Be careful marking images as decorative. If the image adds any meaning, it needs alt text.

Complex Images

For complex images that need detailed descriptions:

Long Descriptions

If alt text isn’t enough:

  1. Write a brief alt text summary
  2. Add a longer description nearby in the document
  3. Or link to a separate detailed description

Example:

  • Alt text: “Detailed map of the London Underground”
  • Long description: Full route listing in an appendix

Data Tables

For charts with important data:

  1. Provide alt text summarizing the trend
  2. Include the data in an accessible table

Alt Text Quality Score

Penvio can evaluate your alt text:

  1. Click Tools → Accessibility → Check Alt Text
  2. Review quality scores for each image
  3. Improve low-scoring descriptions

Quality factors:

  • Length: Not too short, not too long
  • Specificity: Includes relevant details
  • Context: Relates to surrounding content
  • Completeness: Conveys the image’s purpose

Finding Images Without Alt Text

  1. Click Tools → Accessibility → Check Accessibility
  2. Expand Alternative Text issues
  3. Click each issue to locate the image
  4. Add alt text to resolve

Tips

  • Describe function, not appearance (“Submit button” vs “blue rectangle”)
  • Don’t start with “Image of…” or “Picture of…”
  • Include text that appears in the image
  • Consider what information would be lost without the image
  • Use empty alt text (decorative) only when truly appropriate
  • Test with a screen reader to verify

Next Steps

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