# Image Alt Text Checker

> Check every image on a page for alt text. See which images are missing alt, which are empty for decoration, and which have weak, file-name alt text.

Use it free at https://swipetolaunch.com/tools/image-alt-checker

## How to use it

1. **Paste a URL.** The page you want to audit.
2. **Check images.** We list every <img> with its absolute source URL and alt attribute.
3. **Filter and fix.** Show only missing or flagged images, then write alt text for each one that carries meaning.

## Why alt text matters

Alt text is the description of an image for anyone who cannot see it: screen reader users, people on slow connections, and search engines. Google Images relies on it to understand what a picture shows, and it is one of the few signals an image carries into search. Missing alt text is also one of the most common accessibility failures on the web.

## Missing, empty and present

The checker sorts images into three groups, and they are not equally bad.

- **Missing.** No `alt` attribute at all. Screen readers often read out the file name instead, which is noise. Every image needs the attribute.
- **Empty (`alt=""`).** Correct for purely decorative images such as dividers, background flourishes and icons next to text that already says the same thing. It tells assistive technology to skip the image.
- **Present.** Has a description. The checker also flags weak ones: alt text that is a file name, a generic word like "image" or "logo", or longer than about 125 characters.

## Writing good alt text

- Describe what the image shows and why it is there, in one short sentence.
- For a product screenshot, say what the screen shows: "Dashboard with weekly revenue chart and three KPI cards".
- For a logo that links home, use the company name, not "logo".
- For charts, give the takeaway, and put the full data in the text nearby.
- Do not start with "image of". Screen readers already announce it as an image.
- Do not stuff keywords. Write for the person who cannot see it.

## Images this tool cannot see

It reads `<img>` tags in the HTML, including common lazy-load attributes like `data-src`. CSS background images and images inserted by JavaScript are not listed. Background images cannot carry alt text, so anything meaningful should be an `<img>`. For the rest of the page, run the [SEO checker](/tools/seo-checker).

## What you get

- Every <img> with an absolute source URL
- Missing, empty and present alt counted separately
- Flags file-name, generic and overlong alt text
- Filter to just the images that need work

## Questions

### Do all images need alt text?

All images need an alt attribute. Meaningful images need a description; decorative images should have an empty one, alt="", so screen readers skip them.

### How long should alt text be?

Usually one short sentence. Around 125 characters is a practical limit because some screen readers break longer text into chunks. Put longer explanations in the page text.

### Does alt text help SEO?

Yes, mainly for image search, where it is one of the main signals Google uses to understand an image. It also helps the page's overall relevance a little, and it is required for accessibility.

### What is the difference between alt text and a title attribute?

Alt text replaces the image when it cannot be seen and is read by screen readers. The title attribute shows a tooltip on hover and is not a substitute for alt.