Alt text (alternative text) is the hidden description attached to an image in HTML. Screen readers read it aloud for blind and visually impaired shoppers. Search engines use it to understand what your product images show. Missing alt text means you are failing both accessibility requirements and SEO best practices.

WooCommerce stores are especially prone to missing alt text because product catalogs grow fast. You upload 500 products with 3 images each, and suddenly you have 1,500 images - most without proper descriptions.

Here is how to find every missing alt text instance in your WooCommerce store and fix them - manually, in bulk, or automatically.

Why Alt Text Matters for WooCommerce

Alt text serves three purposes:

  1. Accessibility - WCAG 2.1 AA requires all non-decorative images to have descriptive alt text. Without it, blind shoppers cannot understand what your products look like.
  2. SEO - Google uses alt text to understand image content. Proper alt text helps your product images rank in Google Image Search, which drives additional traffic.
  3. Legal compliance - ADA website accessibility lawsuits hit 4,605 in 2024 alone, and WooCommerce stores are a frequent target. Missing alt text is one of the most commonly cited violations.

How to Check Which Product Images Are Missing Alt Text

Method 1: Built-in WordPress Media Library

Go to Media > Library and switch to List view. Look for the “Alt Text” column. Any blank entry is a missing alt text field. The downside: this shows all media, not just WooCommerce product images.

Method 2: View the HTML Source

Open a product page in your browser, right-click and choose “View Page Source.” Search for alt="" or alt=" ". Every product image with an empty alt attribute is failing WCAG compliance.

Method 3: Use an Accessibility Scanner

Tools like WAVE, axe DevTools, or the WooCommerce Accessibility Fixer plugin can scan your entire store and report every image missing alt text in one report.

Common Causes of Missing Alt Text in WooCommerce

CauseWhy It Happens
Bulk upload without metadataImporting products via CSV or a migration tool often skips image alt text
Theme strips alt attributesSome WooCommerce themes use wp_get_attachment_image() without passing through the alt parameter
Variation imagesProduct variation images are often uploaded separately and never get alt text assigned
Gallery imagesThe main product image has alt text, but the 3-4 gallery images behind it do not
Lazy loading pluginsSome lazy loading scripts strip alt attributes to save bytes

Quick Fix: Generate Alt Text from Product Data

The fastest way to fix missing alt text on WooCommerce product images is to auto-generate it from the product name. This is what the WooCommerce Accessibility Fixer does - it reads the product title and assigns it as the alt text for every product image.

// Add this to your theme's functions.php
add_filter('wp_get_attachment_image_attributes', function($attr, $attachment, $size) {
    // Only fix attachments that have no alt text
    if (empty($attr['alt']) || trim($attr['alt']) === '') {
        $post_id = attachment_url_to_postid($attachment->url ?? '');
        if ($post_id) {
            $parent = get_post($post_id)->post_parent;
            if ($parent) {
                $product = wc_get_product($parent);
                if ($product) {
                    $attr['alt'] = $product->get_name() . ' - ' . basename(get_attached_file($post_id));
                }
            }
        }
    }
    return $attr;
}, 10, 3);

This PHP snippet checks every image on your WooCommerce site. If the image lacks alt text and belongs to a product, it generates alt text from the product name plus the image filename.

Bulk Fix: Using a Plugin

For stores with more than 50 products, manual per-image fixes do not scale. Here is the recommended workflow:

  1. Scan - Run a catalog scan to identify every missing alt text instance
  2. Review - See which images need attention grouped by product
  3. Generate - Auto-generate alt text based on product name, category, or SKU
  4. Apply - Fix all missing alt text in one click

The WooCommerce Accessibility Fixer handles steps 1-4 automatically. It scans your product catalog, identifies images with missing or empty alt text, and applies fixes based on product data - all from your WooCommerce dashboard.

How to Write Good Alt Text for Product Images

If you are writing alt text manually, follow these guidelines:

  • Describe the product, not the image - “Red merino wool sweater with V-neck” not “Product photo on white background”
  • Include key details - Color, size, material, style, and any visible features
  • Keep it under 125 characters - Screen readers cut off longer descriptions
  • Skip “image of” or “picture of” - Screen readers announce it is an image automatically
  • Include numbers - If the image shows 3 chairs, say “three leather armchairs”

Bad: alt="Product image" Good: alt="Women's running shoes - blue and white - size 8 - lightweight mesh upper"

Testing That Your Alt Text Is Working

After fixing your alt text, test it:

  1. Run WAVE - The WAVE browser extension shows every image on the page and flags missing alt text
  2. Use a screen reader - Turn on VoiceOver (Mac) or NVDA (Windows) and navigate your product pages
  3. Check image search - Search Google Images for your product name. If your product images appear, Google is reading your alt text

What About Decorative Images?

Not every image needs alt text. Background images, decorative borders, and visual flourishes should have alt="" (empty) so screen readers skip them. You only need descriptive alt text for images that convey information - and product images always convey information.

The Automated Fix

If scanning 500 products and checking every image sounds like too much manual work, the WooCommerce Accessibility Fixer handles it automatically. It scans your entire catalog, detects images missing alt text, and applies product-based descriptions in one click. It is free and works with any WooCommerce theme.