Success Criterion 1.1.1
Conformance level A

Lazy-Loaded Image Whose Alt Text Never Finishes Loading

1.1.1 — Non-text Content

Scenario

Setting

A streaming music app's search results

What’s wrong

Placeholder/lazy-load images whose final alt never populates (JS injects alt late or never).

Example

<img src="chart.png">

Why it matters

Blind and low-vision people using screen readers, and anyone who browses with images disabled, when icons or photos carry meaning.

How to test

Reload the page and immediately check the alt attribute with a screen reader before/after lazy-load completes: if alt is blank until the image fully loads (or never populates), it fails.

How to fix

Render the final alt text with the image markup — not injected late or never.

<img src="chart.png" alt="Q3 revenue chart showing 12% growth">

The alt attribute gives assistive technology the same information the image conveys visually.

Outcome

On a streaming music app's search results, this barrier is gone for blind and low-vision people using screen readers — they can complete the task without hitting this wall.

Who is affected