within the alt attribute of the element.

Web page authors must provide alternative text that represents the content and function of their images.Īlternative text can be presented in two ways: A maple leaf might represent Canada, or it might just illustrate the leaf of a tree.

Search engines use alternative text and factor it into their assessment of the page purpose and content.Īlthough technology is getting better at recognizing what an image depicts, algorithms alone cannot understand what an image means within the context of the overall page.If an image fails to load or the user has blocked images, the browser will present the alternative text visually in place of the image.Screen readers announce alternative text in place of images, helping users with visual or certain cognitive disabilities perceive the content and function of the images.This article is focused on images, but its principles also apply to multimedia and other non-text content.Īlternative text serves several functions: Alternative text is a textual substitute for non-text content in web pages.

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