How to fix input image alt on WooCommerce

Steps for WooCommerce

1. In your WordPress admin, go to Appearance → Theme File Editor (or use a child theme to avoid overwriting on updates).
2. Search your active theme's template files (commonly `woocommerce/templates/cart/`, `woocommerce/templates/checkout/`, or `header.php`) for `type="image"`.
3. Add the `alt` attribute to any matching `<input>` tag and save the file.
4. Alternatively, install the 'Code Snippets' plugin and add a WordPress filter to programmatically inject the alt attribute without editing core files.
5. If the image button is injected by a plugin (e.g. PayPal Checkout), check the plugin's settings panel for an alt/label field, or file a support request with the plugin author.
6. Flush any caching plugin (e.g. WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache) after saving, then verify with axe DevTools.

What is input image alt?

An `<input type="image">` is an image used as a clickable button — common examples include a custom "Buy Now" graphic, a PayPal button, a search icon, or a branded "Submit" image on a form. Like a regular `<img>` tag, it requires an `alt` attribute that describes what the button does. When that attribute is missing or empty, a screen reader has no text to read aloud, so it either skips the button entirely or announces something unhelpful like the image file name (e.g. "btn_buynow_92x26.gif"). WCAG Success Criterion 1.1.1 — Non-text Content — requires all non-text interactive elements to have a text alternative.

Roughly 7–8 million Americans use screen readers, and missing `alt` text on a button can make it completely impossible for them to complete a purchase or submit a form — a direct loss of sales. Beyond conversions, this is a legal compliance issue: the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and similar laws worldwide increasingly require websites to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, and failing audits can trigger demand letters or lawsuits. Google's crawlers also read `alt` text to understand image context; descriptive text on interactive elements contributes to the overall accessibility and quality signals that influence rankings. Fixing this is typically a one-line code change with an outsized positive impact.

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