How to fix image alt on Shopify

Steps for Shopify

1. Product images: Go to Admin → Products → [Product name] → click on any product image thumbnail → an 'Alt text' field appears in the right panel — type your description and click 'Save'.
2. Collection images: Admin → Products → Collections → [Collection name] → click the collection image → edit the 'Image alt text' field.
3. Theme images (banners, slideshows): In Online Store → Themes → Customize, click any image block — look for an 'Alt text' or 'Image description' field in the left sidebar (exact name depends on theme).
4. Blog/page images: In the rich-text editor, click an inserted image → click the 'Edit' (pencil) icon → fill in the 'Alt text' field.
5. For bulk updates or to audit many products, use the Shopify bulk editor (Admin → Products → select products → Edit) or export your product CSV, fill in the 'Image Alt Text' column, and re-import.

What is image alt?

Every `<img>` element on a web page should carry an `alt` attribute that describes what the image shows or does. This text is read aloud by screen readers for visitors who are blind or have low vision, and it appears in place of the image when it fails to load. Meaningful images (products, banners, infographics) need a short, accurate description. Purely decorative images (background shapes, dividers, icons used only for visual flair) should have an empty `alt=""` or `role="presentation"` so screen readers skip them entirely. WCAG Success Criterion 1.1.1 "Non-text Content" requires this for all conformance levels (A, AA, AAA).

Missing alt text directly harms your store in three ways. First, it excludes customers who rely on screen readers — they cannot understand what your products look like, which damages conversions and exposes you to legal risk under accessibility laws (ADA Title III in the US, EAA in Europe, AODA in Canada). Second, search engines like Google read alt text to understand and index your images; missing alt text means your product and category images are invisible to image search, costing you free organic traffic. Third, automated accessibility audits flag missing alt text as a critical failure, and regulators, plaintiff attorneys, and audit tools surface it prominently — making it one of the highest-priority issues to address on any ecommerce site.

See the complete Image alt guide for every platform and the full background.