Missing alt attributes
Fix missing alt attributes without making the page worse
The warning usually sounds more dramatic than the fix. A crawler found one or more <img> tags without an alt attribute, or with an empty one.
I do not fix it by filling every field with keywords. I first decide whether the image carries information. Then I write the shortest useful text for the images that matter.
Quick answer
When an audit says "the images on this page are missing alt attributes", I check which images are meaningful, add useful alt text to those images, and leave decorative images as alt="".
First check what the warning means
There are two common cases. Missing means the image tag has no alt attribute at all. Empty means the page has alt="", which can be correct for decorative images.
Most SEO and accessibility scanners group these together because they cannot always know why the image is on the page. I treat the report as a queue to review, not an order to add text everywhere.
- Product photos, screenshots, diagrams, charts, and article images usually need alt text.
- Spacer images, decorative backgrounds, and repeated icons can use empty alt text.
- Linked images should describe the destination or action when that helps more than the visual detail.
- Repeated gallery images may need distinct variant details instead of the same product name.
My cleanup order
I start with important pages: product pages, collection pages, landing pages, and articles already getting search impressions. Fixing a forgotten footer icon is less useful than fixing the image that sells the product.
Then I scan the page, export or copy the problem list, and generate draft text only for images where a description belongs. The last step is manual review, because the page context decides what the alt text should say.
- Fix missing attributes on meaningful images first.
- Keep decorative images empty instead of inventing filler text.
- Replace generic values like "image", "photo", or the file name.
- Review duplicates where several variants share the same product title.
What good fixes look like
A good fix reads like a practical label, not ad copy. For a product image, I usually include the product type and visible variant detail. For a screenshot, I describe the screen and the important state shown.
If the scanner is complaining about a template or theme, I fix the template once. If the missing attributes come from imported products or CMS media, I use a spreadsheet workflow so I can review rows before importing them back.
Examples
- Missing: <img src="/products/linen-shirt-green.jpg">
- Fixed: <img src="/products/linen-shirt-green.jpg" alt="Sage green linen button-up shirt on a white background">
- Decorative: <img src="/divider.svg" alt="">
Common questions
Is an empty alt attribute always an error?
No. alt="" is the right choice for decorative images. Missing the attribute entirely is different, because assistive technology may fall back to the file name.
Should I add keywords to every missing alt attribute?
No. I use keywords only when they naturally describe the visible image. Stuffed alt text is worse for readers and usually worse for cleanup work.
How do I find all missing alt attributes on a page?
Use the image alt text checker to scan the page, then review the missing, empty, duplicate, and weak results before generating replacements.
Related guides
Generate alt text from an image
Upload an image, paste a URL, or use bulk generation when you have a list of image URLs.