How to create image alt attribute values for images featured in WordPress

This article describes how to install the Auto Image Alt Attribute plugin on a WordPress site. This plugin allows you to add missing "alt" attribute values to an image property automatically to improve website accessibility and readability.

Why do you need alternate text (Alt text) for an image?

Alternate text, or the “alt” attribute, is a snippet of text describing your image. In the event your image is not displayed, the text specified in the “alt” attribute appears to tell users something about the image. Also, the “alt” attribute appears when the mouse pointer hovers over an image, which improves accessibility. 

What is the Auto Image Alt Attribute plugin?

The Auto Image Alt Attribute plugin automatically populates the “alt” attribute when it is missing or empty with the image name for all your images. 

Installing the Auto Image Alt Attribute plugin

To install the Auto Image Alt Attribute plugin, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your WordPress site with an administrator account.
2. On the Dashboard in the left sidebar, click Plugins, and then click Add New.
3. Search for the Auto Image Alt Attribute plugin.
4. Install and activate the Auto Image Alt Attribute plugin:

   

5. The plugin appears on the left sidebar menu under Settings:
   

   

6. To enable the plugin, click Auto Image Alt on the left sidebar menu, and then enable the plugin:
   

   

7. Click Save Changes. The plugin automatically populates all empty “alt” attributes with the respective image name.

8. To test the plugin, create a page with an image. Leave the “alt” attribute for the image empty. Preview or publish the page, and then inspect the page source to view the populated alternate text for the image:
   

   

   

More Information

• For more information about the Auto Image Alt Attribute, please visit https://wordpress.org/plugins/auto-image-alt.
• For more information about alternate text for images, please visit https://moz.com/learn/seo/alt-text.