How to Add Alt Text in Microsoft (PC/Windows)

What is Alt Text

Alternative (alt) text is a brief description of an image that allows people using screen readers to understand its content and purpose. It is read aloud by screen readers and displayed if an image does not load, helping make visual information accessible to users with visual impairments.  

This guide explains how to add alt text to images in Microsoft tools on a PC. 

 

Step 1: Select the Image and Open the Alt Text Pane

  1. Open your file in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel.
  2. Click once on the image you want to describe. 
  3. Right-click on the image. 
  4. Select View Alt Text from the menu.
    1. Screenshot of a "View Alt Text" command in Microsoft Word. The background shows a photo of a person working at a desk. The right-click menu is open on the right side of the image, with the "View Alt Text..." menu item selected in gray and called out in a red box.
  5. The Alt Text panel will open on the right-hand side of the screen. 
 

Step 2: Add the Alt Text

  1. In the Description box, you will find AI-generated alt text. Be sure to review the alt text and edits as needed to convey the meaning of your photo. Tip! No need to type "Image of" or "picture of." The screen reader already recognizes that it is an image. 
  2. If the image is purely decorative and does not add information, check Mark as decorative at the bottom of the Alt Text pane.
    1. A screenshot of the "Alt Text" sidebar in Microsoft Word. It shows a text entry box containing the description "Person wearing headphones working at a laptop on a desk with books and a lamp." called out in a red box. Below the box is a button labeled "Generate alt text for me" and checkboxes for “Approve alt text” and "Mark as decorative." that are also called out in a red box.
 

 Step 3: Close and Save

  1. Close the Alt Text pane.
  2. Save your document to keep the alt text.  
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