1.1.1 Non-text Content [A]

Level A

All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose.>

Explanation

All non-text content like images, charts, icons and infographics, must have an appropriate text equivalent. This means that someone who can’t see the image can still understand what it’s for.

Responsibility

• Content
• QA

Requirements

• Images (like logos and icons) that communicate information have short text descriptions;
• Editorial images that support the text around them have short descriptions;
• Images (like infographics, charts and diagrams) that communicate complex information also have longer text descriptions within the same page;
• Decorative images have empty text descriptions.

Common mistakes

• The image communicates information but does not have a text description;
• The text description does not communicate the same information as the image;
• The image has a text description that is an exact duplicate of content elsewhere on the page.

Official resources

• 1.1.1 Non-text content
• Understanding 1.1.1 Non-text content
• How to meet 1.1.1 Non-text content

Other resources

• W3C: Alt text decision tree
• W3C: Images
• WebAIM: Alternative text