Recommended Free Tools
In WordPress, write alt text that conveys the image’s meaning or purpose in the context of the page—not just what objects appear in it. Select an Image block and enter the text in its Alternative text field. If the image is purely decorative, leave its alternative text empty or mark it decorative. For an image that links somewhere, describe the link’s purpose or destination.
What good alt text should do
Alt text is a text substitute for an image. A useful test is to imagine the image replaced by your proposed words: would the page still communicate the same information and available action to someone who cannot see the image? WordPress’s accessibility guidance describes this as replacing images with their alt text without changing the page’s meaning. Keep the wording concise and specific to the page. Don’t turn it into a filename, a list of every visible object, or a string of search keywords.
Choose wording by the image’s purpose
Informative images
Describe the information the image adds in context. For example, if a product page uses a photo to distinguish a blue model from other available colors, “Blue wireless headphones” may be more useful than “Headphones on a white background.” Include details that matter to the surrounding content, not every incidental visual detail.
Decorative images
If an image contributes no information and has no function, use empty alternative text: alt="". This tells assistive technology it can skip the image rather than announcing a description that adds nothing. In the WordPress Image block, use the “Mark as decorative” option where available.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
#1 Best Overall
Images containing text
If an image includes meaningful text that is not also provided nearby, include that text in the alternative. If the same wording is already present in the page, repeating it in alt text may be unnecessary. A poster image, for instance, might need its event name and date if those details are not elsewhere in the post.
Images that are links
When an image is clickable, describe what activating it does or where it leads, rather than merely naming what it depicts. A linked logo that takes visitors to the homepage could use “Go to the homepage” if that purpose is not already clear from adjacent text.
Charts, diagrams, and other complex images
Keep alt text brief, identifying the image and the information it conveys at a high level. Put detailed data, relationships, or step-by-step explanations in nearby page text so the information is available without relying on a long alt attribute. For a chart, the surrounding explanation might state the key values and trend that the chart illustrates.
Add alt text in the WordPress editor
-
Open the post or page in the WordPress block editor and select the Image block.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.Rank #3
-
In the block settings, enter a concise description in the Alternative text field. If the image is decorative, use “Mark as decorative” when that control is available, or leave the alternative text empty.
-
Save or update the post, then check the image in the context of the surrounding text. Confirm that the description supplies information or a function that is not already obvious from nearby content.
Rank #4
Alt text entered on an Image block applies to that image in that post or page. The Media Library also has an alternative-text field in an image’s details; text set there serves as a default when the image is inserted elsewhere. Check each use in context: the same image may have a different purpose on another page.
Review AI-generated suggestions
Treat an AI-generated description as a draft, not an accessibility decision. Check whether it identifies the image correctly, whether it captures the image’s role on this particular page, and whether the image is decorative and should instead have empty alt text. Automated descriptions can misidentify objects or miss context that is apparent from the surrounding content.
Best Value
Alt text, accessibility, and SEO
The primary purpose of alternative text is to make an image’s meaningful information or function available to people who cannot see it, including people using screen readers. WordPress materials also describe alt text as useful for search visibility, but that is not a reason to stuff it with keywords or to write descriptions that do not help readers. Focus on an accurate, contextual substitute for the image’s meaning.
Or skip the browser setup
Writing WordPress alt text does not require capturing a screenshot. If you separately need a screenshot of a page for documentation or review, ScreenshotNeo can return an image or PDF through one GET request. Its capture options include accepting cookie or consent banners and removing known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before the shot; each step can be turned off.
For example, this cURL request saves a screenshot of the WordPress homepage as WebP. Replace the URL with the page you want to capture and set your API key. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://wordpress.org -o shot.webpBot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed; responses identify the page verdict and billing status in headers. ScreenshotNeo also offers an MCP server with tools for AI agents to take screenshots, get page information, and capture PDFs. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card required; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
Sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month, with no card.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
