Accessible Images in Word

Accessible Images in Word Documents

Using images accessibly means ensuring that all users have access to their meaning, regardless of their visual abilities. Accessible images are particularly important for users who rely on screen readers to understand visual information, and it also improves accessibility for people with cognitive disabilities. 

This resource provides an overview of the basic requirements to ensure that use of images complies with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.1. 

Types of images

Informative images communicate meaning to readers, so it is important to ensure that users who rely on screen readers have access to that meaning. To make an informative image accessible, add alt text that describes the image's content and purpose. Alt text is read aloud by screen readers, providing a substitute for the visual content.

Decorative images are purely for visual appeal and do not add meaning. To make a decorative image accessible, mark it as "decorative" in the alt text. This tells screen readers to skip those images.

How to write effective alt text for informative images

Alt text should convey the information users need in the specific context where they will be encountering the image. Alt text isn’t the same thing as a name or title, but should instead be descriptive. Here are some key principles to keep in mind when creating alt text, taken from the Section508.gov website.

  • Alt text should be short and to the point. Aim for 150 characters or less.
  • Alt text should communicate the same information as the visual content.
  • Alt text should refer to relevant content provided by the image, rather than simply describing how the image looks.
  • Alt text should not contain any extra or unnecessary information, and should not repeat information that is already provided in the text.
  • Alt text must be in the same language as the main content. For example, if you translate an English document into Spanish, you must also translate the alt text into Spanish.

How to add alt text to an informative image

  1. Right-click on the image and choose View Alt Text.
  2. Type your Alt Text into the description field. If you are using an image as a link, make sure the alt text indicates the link target.
    1. Note: You can ask Word to generate alt text for you, but keep in mind that this AI-generated text may be inaccurate. Most importantly, it may not be appropriate for the context of your image. Use this feature with caution.

How to mark a decorative image

  1. Right-click on the image and choose View Alt Text.
  2. Check Mark as decorative. You do not need to add any text.

Avoid using unnecessary images

If meaning can be conveyed without images, it is best not to use them. Text is considered the gold standard for conveying information accessibly.

Additional Resources

Microsoft. (n.d.). Add alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, SmartArt graphic, or other object. 

WebAIM. (2021). Alternative Text. 

World Wide Web Consortium. (2025). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.