Social Security Administration Guide: Alternate Text for Images

General guidance

Alternative text (‘alt-text’) for images:

• should be succinct:

• should convey in words the same information that is communicated by the image.

• should represent the purpose and function of the image, not just describe its appearance.

• should not contain extraneous information that is not needed to convey the purpose of showing the image.

• should not be too lengthy. The amount of text depends on the type, and the purpose of the graphic. Where a long description is needed, there are mechanisms other than alt-text that can be employed.

Formal requirements for alternate text are provided in the section on Agency-specific information.