Introduction
In 2023, a federal judge ordered a major pizza chain to pay $4 million in damages.
The reason? Blind customers couldn't order online because images in the ordering system lacked proper alt text.
In 2024, a court awarded $450,000 to a plaintiff who couldn't navigate a retailer's website. Again, image descriptions were the primary violation.
In 2025, accessibility lawsuits in the United States alone exceeded 5,000 cases.
And in 2026, the standards have evolved.
WCAG 2.2 is now the baseline for digital accessibility compliance worldwide. And alt text — the humble HTML attribute you've probably ignored — sits at the center of most violations.
This guide explains everything you need to know about WCAG 2.2 alt text requirements. No fluff. No jargon. Just what you need to stay compliant and accessible.
What Is WCAG 2.2?
WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
It's the international standard for making websites accessible to people with disabilities. Developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WCAG is referenced in accessibility laws across the globe:
| Region | Law |
|---|---|
| United States | ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) |
| European Union | European Accessibility Act |
| Canada | Accessible Canada Act |
| UK | Equality Act 2010 |
| Australia | Disability Discrimination Act |
WCAG 2.2 was officially released in October 2023 and has become the required compliance standard throughout 2025 and 2026.
Previous versions (2.0 and 2.1) are still acceptable in some contexts, but new websites, redesigns, and government sites generally require 2.2 compliance.
The Three Levels of Compliance
WCAG organizes requirements into three levels of increasing strictness:
| Level | Description | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| A | Minimum compliance. Absolute basics. | All websites |
| AA | Standard compliance. Recommended for most sites. | Most businesses, government, e-commerce |
| AAA | Maximum compliance. Highest accessibility. | Government, healthcare, high-traffic sites |
For alt text, Level AA is the practical standard for most businesses. This is what courts reference in accessibility lawsuits.
The Core Alt Text Requirements Under WCAG 2.2
Success Criterion 1.1.1: Non-text Content (Level A)
This is the primary alt text requirement. Here's exactly what it says:
"All non-text content that is presented to the user must have a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose."
Translated into plain English:
Rule 1: Informative images must have descriptive alt text
If an image conveys information — a product photo, a chart, an illustration, a team photo — you must provide alt text that describes that information.
Compliant:
alt="Professional women's leather handbag, brown, with gold hardware and detachable shoulder strap"
Violation:
alt="" (completely empty for an informative image)
Violation:
alt="image" or alt="product photo" (meaningless)
Rule 2: Decorative images must be hidden from screen readers
If an image adds visual decoration but no information — a background pattern, a spacer, a purely aesthetic shape — it must be marked so screen readers ignore it.
Compliant:
alt="" (empty alt) AND role="presentation"
Violation:
Providing decorative images with descriptive alt text (confuses screen reader users)
Violation:
Not marking decorative images at all
Rule 3: Functional images must describe the action
If an image is inside a link or button, the alt text must describe the destination or action, not the image itself.
Compliant: Print icon inside a print button
alt="Print this page"
Violation: Print icon inside a print button
alt="printer icon"
Rule 4: Complex images require longer descriptions
For complex content like charts, graphs, infographics, or diagrams, alt text alone is insufficient. You must provide a longer text description elsewhere on the page.
Compliant:
alt="Sales growth chart 2020-2025 featuring 245% increase" (summary)
PLUS a full data table or text description of the chart within the page content.
What WCAG 2.2 Changed for Alt Text
WCAG 2.2 added or clarified several requirements that affect alt text:
New: Accessible Authentication (Level AA)
While not directly about alt text, this criterion affects CAPTCHAs. If you use image-based CAPTCHAs, you must provide an audio alternative or another non-visual method. Text-based alternatives are no longer sufficient.
Clarified: Focus Appearance (Level AA)
When users navigate with keyboards, the focus indicator must be highly visible. This affects any custom interactive elements that use images — those images and their alt text must make interactive purpose clear.
Strengthened: Dragging Movements (Level AA)
If your interface uses drag-and-drop (common in image uploads, galleries, or design tools), you must provide single-pointer alternatives. This affects how you label and describe draggable image elements with alt text.
Clarified: Target Size (Level AA)
Clickable elements (including image links) must be at least 24x24 pixels. This affects how you implement image buttons and linked images — their alt text must clearly indicate the click target.
The Most Common Alt Text Violations That Trigger Lawsuits
Accessibility law firms look for patterns. Here are the most frequently cited alt text violations:
Violation #1: Missing alt text on product images
E-commerce sites are the #1 target for accessibility lawsuits. When a screen reader user encounters a product gallery with empty alt tags, they have no idea what they're looking at. Cannot buy. Lawsuit filed.
Violation #2: Alt text that says "image" or "photo"
This is functionally identical to no alt text. Screen readers already announce "image." The alt text should describe the image content — not state the obvious.
Violation #3: Alt text that duplicates surrounding text
If a product page already says "Men's Waterproof Hiking Boots" as a heading, the alt text should add value — describing color, material, setting. Not repeating the heading.
Violation #4: Missing alt text on logo linking to homepage
That logo in your header that links back to your homepage? It needs alt text describing the destination.
This is a violation:
alt=""
This is compliant:
alt="Company Name home" or alt="Back to homepage"
Violation #5: Decorative images incorrectly marked
Adding descriptive alt text to decorative images forces screen reader users to listen to irrelevant information. WCAG requires you to hide decorative images, not describe them.
How to Test Your Alt Text for Compliance
You don't need expensive tools. Here are three free methods to audit your alt text:
Method 1: Turn off images in your browser
Most browsers let you disable image loading. Navigate your site with images off. If the page makes less sense or information is missing, your alt text needs work.
Method 2: Use a screen reader
Free options include NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (built into Mac and iOS). Navigate your site by listening. Does every important image get described? Do you hear "image" repeated with no description?
Method 3: Automated testing
Free browser extensions like WAVE or axe DevTools can scan any page and flag:
Images missing alt text
Images with suspicious alt text (like "image" or "photo")
Decorative images that need alt=""
No single automated tool catches everything. Use multiple methods.
What About Third-Party Content?
This is where most websites fail.
User-generated content. Embedded social media posts. Advertisements. Comment section images.
WCAG requires that ALL content on your website — regardless of source — must be accessible.
Solutions:
Require alt text on all user-uploaded images
Reject posts with missing alt text
Use automated alt text generation for user content
Regularly audit third-party content
Ignoring user-generated content doesn't exempt you from compliance. Courts have consistently ruled that website owners are responsible for all content on their domains.
When Is Alt Text Not Required?
WCAG provides specific exceptions:
Exception 1: Purely decorative images
If an image adds no information, use alt="" plus role="presentation".
Exception 2: Images within live video or audio
Live broadcasts are exempt. Recorded content must be accessible.
Exception 3: CAPTCHAs
CAPTCHAs must provide audio alternatives. The image itself can have alt="" if an alternative is available.
Exception 4: Images in legacy documents
Archived content from before compliance requirements may be exempt, but this exception is narrow.
Important: "It's too much work" is not an exception. "We have thousands of images" is not an exception. Courts do not accept burden as justification for inaccessibility.
The Business Case for Compliance
Yes, accessibility is the right thing to do.
But if you need business reasons to prioritize alt text, here they are:
Reason 1: Lawsuits are expensive
The average accessibility lawsuit settlement: 250,000to250,000to500,000.
Legal fees before settlement: 50,000to50,000to150,000.
Fixing your alt text: Pennies in comparison.
Reason 2: ADA Title III demand letters are increasing
In 2025, over 8,000 ADA Title III lawsuits were filed. Over 80% involved website accessibility. Most cited missing or incorrect alt text as a primary violation.
Reason 3: You cannot ignore WCAG 2.2
The Department of Justice has repeatedly stated that WCAG 2.1 Level AA (now superseded by 2.2) is the standard for ADA compliance. Courts agree.
Reason 4: Accessibility improves SEO
Descriptive alt text helps screen readers AND search engines. The same alt text that keeps you compliant also helps you rank.
How to Fix Your Alt Text at Scale
Manual alt text is the ideal — a human writing the perfect description for every image.
But if you have hundreds or thousands of images, manual writing is impossible. This is why automated alt text has become an essential tool for compliance.
Here's what you need from any alt text solution to meet WCAG 2.2:
Descriptive generation (not just keywords)
Ability to distinguish informative vs decorative images
Bulk processing for large catalogs
Export capabilities for documentation
Language support (your website serves everyone)
Documentation Matters
If you are ever sued for accessibility, the first thing your lawyer will ask: "What did you do to comply?"
You need evidence.
Keep records of:
Date alt text was implemented
Tools or methods used
Images processed (counts, categories)
Exceptions and reasons
Regular audit results
This documentation can dramatically reduce liability and settlement amounts.
The Bottom Line
WCAG 2.2 alt text requirements are not complicated. But they are strict. And lawsuits are real.
Every informative image needs descriptive alt text.
Every decorative image needs to be hidden.
Every functional image needs action-oriented alt text.
Every complex image needs longer descriptions.
Test your site. Fix violations. Document everything.
And if you have thousands of images, use the right tools to scale this work.
Because the court won't accept "it was too much manual work" as a defense.
Resources
W3C WCAG 2.2 Official Documentation
ADA Title III Enforcement Statistics
WebAIM Million Accessibility Analysis
Free tools: WAVE, axe DevTools, NVDA, VoiceOver
About This Guide
This guide is maintained by accessibility professionals and updated to reflect WCAG 2.2 requirements as of 2026. Laws vary by jurisdiction. Consult legal counsel for specific compliance advice.