Create Alternative Text in Microsoft Office

Visuals like tables, charts, and images can be valuable instructional tools; therefore, Alternative Text is essential to help readers who are blind or have limited/low vision understand the image and its value.

This page contains a video tutorial as well as text directions explaining how to add Alternative Text in any Microsoft Office application.

For more information on accessible images, reference the Make Images Accessible page.

The following steps explain how to place Alt-Text on a photo and provides some guidance to the content of the text.

1. Right-click on the figure and look for Edit-Alt Text.
   1. If you see Edit-Alt Text, select it and type your Alt-Text in the box that appears on the right-hand side of your document. Repeat for every image. If the image is decorative, check the “Mark as decorative” box.
   2. If you do not see Edit Alt Text, follow the remaining steps.
2. Select Format Picture; a sidebar labeled ‘Format Picture’ will appear on the right side of the screen.
3. Click the Layout & Properties Icon
4. Select Alt-Text from the menu on the sidebar. This will open two sections labeled ‘Title’ and ‘Description’
5. Type the title of the figure to the appropriate line
6. Type the Alt-Text in the box under ‘Description’.
7. Close the sidebar by pressing the X in the upper-right corner.

You have now completed adding Alt-Text to a photo.

Images in Signatures

Keep the mindful/meaningful guidelines in mind when considering images in your Outlook signature. Including too many images can be a lot to process visually, so strive to use only the most important images.

To add alt-text to an image in an Outlook signature:

1. Open the signature window and select the signature to edit.
   1. New Outlook: View tab, then select View Settings, Accounts, then Signatures.
   2. Classic Outlook: Open New Email, then select Signature (located in the Include Group). Select Signatures.
2. Select the image and right-click/alt-click. Select Picture to open the format picture pop-up.
3. Select the Alt Text tab and write the alt-text.
4. Select OK.

Images and Emails

1. When the image is within the body of the email (in other words, not an attachment), select the image.
2. Right-click/alt-click the image, then select View Alt Text. The Alt Text pane usually pops up attached to the right side of the message window.
3. Type the alt text and then close the Alt Text pane.