- Success Criterion 1.1.1
- Conformance level A
- W3C reference F38
Decorative Image Not Hidden From Screen Reader Users
1.1.1 — Non-text Content
Scenario
Setting
A university's online course catalog
What’s wrong
A purely decorative image is not marked as decorative, so screen readers stop on it and announce something useless.
Example
During an audit of a university's online course catalog: a purely decorative image is not marked as decorative, so screen readers stop on it and announce something useless.
Why it matters
Blind and low-vision people using screen readers, and anyone who browses with images disabled, when icons or photos carry meaning. The practical effect on a university's online course catalog: they can't tell what the image or video is showing.
How to test
Inspect the image's alt attribute: decorative images (borders, spacers, dividers) must have alt="" or role="presentation" — if a screen reader announces anything for it, it fails.
How to fix
Mark decorative images with empty alt (alt="") or role="presentation" (code that strips an element's meaning) so assistive technology skips them.
Outcome
That one change on a university's online course catalog means they get the same information as everyone else.
Who is affected
Blind and low-vision people using screen readers, and anyone who browses with images disabled, when icons or photos carry meaning.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
- Technique Related technique (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
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- Images Published With No Alt Attribute at All