Images with Missing Alt Attribute

What Is This Issue?

Images without an alt attribute fail WCAG accessibility requirements and provide no text alternative for users who can't see images. This includes screen reader users, users with images disabled, and search engines.

Why This Matters

Accessibility

Screen readers need alt text to describe images to visually impaired users. Without it, users may hear the filename read aloud or nothing at all, losing context.

SEO

Search engines can't "see" images the way humans do. Alt text helps them understand image content and can help images appear in image search results.

Best Practices

1. Descriptive Images: Add alt text describing what the image shows
2. Decorative Images: Use empty alt (alt="") for purely decorative images
3. Functional Images: Describe the function, not the image (e.g., "Search button")
4. Images of Text: Include the text in the alt attribute

How to Fix This Issue

1. Audit Images: Find all images missing alt attributes
2. Categorize: Is each image decorative, informative, or functional?
3. Write Alt Text: Add appropriate alt text based on category
4. Verify: Test with a screen reader or accessibility tool