Product Image Alt Text: How to Write It, With 15 Examples

Product image alt text is a short written description of a product photo, read aloud by screen readers and used by search engines to understand the image. Good alt text names the product, its key visible details and the view, in about 125 characters or fewer, for example: "Blue speckled ceramic mug, 12 oz, side view showing handle".

Most stores leave alt text empty or fill it with the product title repeated on every photo. That wastes a chance to help blind and low-vision shoppers, who rely on it to know what a photo shows, and to give Google Images a clear signal about each picture. This guide explains why alt text matters, gives a simple formula with examples across categories, covers length and common mistakes, and shows where to add it in Shopify, Etsy and WooCommerce.

What is product image alt text?

Alt text (alternative text) is the alt attribute on an image in a web page's code. Shoppers don't see it unless the image fails to load; screen readers read it aloud, and search engines read it to understand what the image shows. In your store's admin, it's simply a text box attached to each product photo.

Why does product image alt text matter?

It makes your store usable for shoppers who can't see the photos, and it helps search engines index and rank your product images.

• Accessibility. Blind and low-vision shoppers use screen readers. Without alt text they hear a file name or nothing at all, and can't tell a front view from a size chart.
• Image search. Google uses alt text, along with file names and the surrounding page, to understand images. Descriptive alt text helps product photos appear in Google Images.
• Context when images fail. On slow connections or blocked images, the alt text shows in place of the picture.
• Legal risk. Accessibility guidelines (WCAG) ask for text alternatives for meaningful images, and online stores in several countries have faced accessibility complaints. Alt text is one of the simplest parts to get right.

How do you write product image alt text?

Use a simple formula: what the product is, the details a shopper would notice, and what this particular photo shows.

1. Imagine describing the photo to a shopper over the phone in one sentence.
2. Start with the product type in plain words, not your brand's internal name.
3. Add the two or three details visible in this photo that matter for buying: color, material, pattern, size, finish.
4. Say what's different about this photo: front, back, close-up of the zipper, shown in hand for scale, on a model, in a kitchen.
5. Include text that appears in the image if it matters, such as a size chart's key numbers or a label's claims.
6. Read it back. If it sounds natural and you'd know which photo it means, it's done.

Product image alt text examples

Here are examples across common categories, each written for a specific photo in the listing.

Notice what's missing: no brand slogans, no "best" or "cheap", and no list of keywords. Each line describes only what's in that photo.

How long should product image alt text be?

Around 125 characters or fewer, which is roughly one sentence. Screen reader users hear every word, so long descriptions slow them down, and some tools cut off or split very long alt text. Shopify allows up to 512 characters but recommends 125 or fewer. If a photo needs a long explanation, such as a detailed chart, put the full information in the product description and keep the alt text short. For the description itself (not the alt text), our AI product description generator drafts two options from the product facts you give it.

Common alt text mistakes

Purely decorative images, such as background textures or divider graphics, should have empty alt text so screen readers skip them. Product photos are never decorative.

Where do you add alt text in Shopify, Etsy and WooCommerce?

Each platform has an alt text field on every image, usually opened by clicking the photo in the product editor.

Shopify

1. In your Shopify admin, go to Products and open the product.
2. Click a product image to open its preview.
3. Add or edit the alt text and save.
4. For many products at once, export your products to CSV, fill in the image alt text column, and import it again.

Etsy

1. In Shop Manager, go to Listings and open the listing.
2. Select a photo in the Photos section and find the Alt text option.
3. Enter a description and apply it; repeat for each photo.
4. In the Etsy Seller app, edit the listing, tap the pencil on Photos and video, then use the Alt text option.

Etsy says it may add alt text automatically to some US sellers' listing images, but it doesn't change images you've already described, and you can edit what it adds. Writing your own is more accurate.

WooCommerce

1. Edit the product in WordPress.
2. Click the Product image or a Product gallery image to open the media window.
3. Fill in the Alternative Text field in the attachment details and update the product.
4. Alt text set in the Media Library applies wherever that image is used.

Alt text locations and limits in Shopify, Etsy and WooCommerce were checked in October 2026. Marketplaces change their rules, so confirm the current requirements in your seller dashboard before you upload a large batch.

Do image file names matter too?

Yes. A descriptive file name is another signal to search engines, and it keeps your own files organised. Rename photos before uploading: lowercase words separated by hyphens, describing the product and view.

For naming as part of a full catalog system, see how to make product photos consistent. For the file format itself, see JPG vs PNG vs WebP for product images, and for store-specific sizes, Shopify product image size.

Product images and descriptions with AiArter

AiArter doesn't write alt text for you, but it helps with the photos and the words around them.

• Product photos on pure white, brand colors or lifestyle scenes, with your product kept exactly as photographed, so each image clearly shows one thing to describe.
• Listing copy writer. The listing copy writer drafts product titles, descriptions and bullet points from the details you give it. A good description makes writing short, accurate alt text for each photo much quicker.

Frequently asked questions

What is alt text for product images?

Alt text is a short written description attached to a product photo. Screen readers read it aloud for shoppers who can't see the image, and search engines use it to understand what the photo shows.

How do you write alt text for a product image?

Describe the product type, the key visible details such as color, material and size, and what the specific photo shows, like a side view or the product in use. Keep it to one natural sentence of about 125 characters or fewer.

Does alt text help SEO for ecommerce?

Yes. Google uses alt text, along with file names and page content, to understand images, which can help product photos appear in Google Images. It works best when it describes the image accurately rather than listing keywords.

How long should alt text be?

About 125 characters or fewer is the common guidance, and it's what Shopify recommends, though Shopify allows up to 512. Put longer explanations in the product description.

Should every product image have different alt text?

Yes. Each photo shows something different, such as the front, back, a detail or the product in use, so each should have its own description. Repeating the title on every image tells screen reader users nothing new.

Where do I add alt text on Etsy?

In Shop Manager, open the listing, select a photo and use the Alt text option to enter a description. In the Etsy Seller app, edit the listing's photos and tap the Alt text option.