Key Takeaways
- WCAG SC 1.1.1 requires a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose of the image — not a specific word count.
- The EAA points to EN 301 549, which adopts WCAG 2.1 AA, so alt text is effectively a compliance expectation for EU-facing stores.
- Decorative images get
alt="", not a sentence. - A scanner is a readiness aid, not a legal certification.
In This Article
What SC 1.1.1 Actually Says
WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.1.1 — Non-text Content is the rule behind image alt text. The wording is deliberately outcome-focused:
"All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose." — WCAG 2.1, SC 1.1.1
Two things matter for teams:
- It judges purpose, not wording. There is no mandated phrase or length. The alt must convey the same information a sighted user gets from the image.
- It covers all non-text content. Images, icons that convey meaning, charts, and infographics all need a text alternative — unless they are purely decorative.
How It Maps to the EAA
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) does not rewrite WCAG. It requires in-scope products and services to meet accessibility requirements, and for digital services the harmonized standard EN 301 549 incorporates WCAG 2.1 Level AA. The practical chain is:
- EAA sets the obligation for EU-facing digital services.
- EN 301 549 is the referenced technical standard.
- EN 301 549 adopts WCAG 2.1 AA, which includes SC 1.1.1.
- So proper alt text becomes a defensible compliance expectation.
This is why our EAA readiness checklist leads with an alt-text audit. It is the single highest-volume accessibility gap on most ecommerce sites.
Decorative vs Informative Images
The most common WCAG mistake is writing alt text for images that should have none. The rule:
| Image type | Correct alt |
|---|---|
| Product photo (informative) | "Navy wool blazer with gold buttons, front view" |
| Logo used as home link | "Brand name" (or alt="" if name is adjacent in text) |
| Divider, spacer, decorative icon | alt="" (empty) |
| Chart or infographic | Short summary + full data in nearby text or longdesc |
Empty alt (alt="") tells a screen reader to skip the image entirely. That is correct for decoration and prevents noise. Our alt text examples guide shows good vs bad for each case.
A Pre-Audit Alt Text Checklist
Before a formal accessibility audit, run this internal check (a scanner automates steps 1–3):
- Find missing alt — every informative image has an alt attribute.
- Find empty alt on informative images — alt="" only on decorative ones.
- Find vague alt — "image", "photo", "product" get rewritten.
- Find overlong alt — trim to the point (aim under ~125 characters).
- Confirm equivalence — a human checks that alt conveys what the image shows.
- Spot-check charts/infographics — data is available in text nearby.
You can run steps 1–4 on any page with our free alt text checker. Treat the output as a readiness signal, not a legal sign-off.
Check your alt text readiness.
Scan any page for missing, empty, and vague alt text. Free — no signup required.
Run free scanFAQ
What does WCAG 1.1.1 require for alt text?
WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text Content) requires that all non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose. For images, that means a meaningful alt attribute (or alt="" for decorative images). It does not prescribe exact wording — it requires that the text alternative conveys the same information the image conveys.
Is alt text required by the European Accessibility Act?
The EAA requires that products and services placed on the EU market meet accessibility requirements, and for digital content the referenced standard (EN 301 549) incorporates WCAG 2.1 AA. That makes proper alt text effectively a compliance expectation for ecommerce sites serving EU customers — though a scanner is a readiness aid, not a legal certification.
How long should alt text be for WCAG?
WCAG does not set a character limit. In practice, keep alt text concise and to the point — most accessibility guidance suggests under ~125 characters because some screen readers truncate longer text. The real test is whether the alt conveys the same information as the image.
Conclusion
WCAG SC 1.1.1 is simpler than it looks: give every informative image a text alternative that serves the same purpose, and give decorative images empty alt. The EAA turns that into a compliance expectation for EU-facing stores through EN 301 549's adoption of WCAG 2.1 AA. A scanner gets you most of the way to readiness; a human confirms equivalence. Use the output to prioritize fixes — not as a legal certificate.
Sources & References
- W3C. (2023). "WCAG 2.1 — Success Criterion 1.1.1 Non-text Content." w3.org/TR/WCAG21
- ETSI. "EN 301 549 V3.2.1 — Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services." etsi.org
- WebAIM. (2024). "The WebAIM Million — An Accessibility Analysis of the Top 1,000,000 Home Pages." webaim.org/projects/million/