Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Explain why accurate alt text matters for accessibility and search visibility
- Locate the AI alt text feature in the WordPress media editor
- Apply the AI alt text feature to generate alt text for an uploaded image
- Evaluate generated alt text for accuracy and revise it where needed
Why alt text matters
Alt text is the written description attached to an image. Screen readers read it aloud for users who cannot see the image, and search engines use it to understand visual content. Missing or inaccurate alt text creates barriers for people using assistive technology and reduces your content’s findability.
Writing good alt text for every image takes time, especially at volume. The AI plugin generates a first draft automatically, so you can review and adjust rather than starting from scratch.
How AI alt text works
When you upload an image in WordPress, the AI plugin sends it to your connected provider and returns a suggested description. This happens in the media editor, where the alt text field is pre-populated with the generated text before you save the image to your library.
You can also generate alt text for images already in your media library by opening the image in the media editor and selecting the generate option next to the alt text field.
💡 Why this matters for you:
If you manage a site with a large media library, the AI alt text feature is most useful as a starting point, not a final answer. Reviewing generated text takes significantly less time than writing it from scratch.
Note for hands-on practice: Alt text generation requires a live WordPress site with an AI provider connected. You can explore the media editor interface using WordPress Playground at https://playground.wordpress.net/?plugin=ai&login=1, but live generation requires a connected provider on your own site.
Reviewing and revising generated alt text
AI-generated alt text is a draft. Before saving, read it and ask:
Is it accurate? The model describes what it sees, but it can misidentify objects, miss important context, or describe decorative elements that should have empty alt text instead.
Is it useful? Good alt text conveys meaning, not just content. “A person sitting at a desk” is accurate but rarely useful. “A site owner reviewing their WordPress dashboard on a laptop” gives the reader context.
Should it be empty? Purely decorative images (dividers, background textures, icons used for visual style only) should have an empty alt text attribute so screen readers skip them. The AI plugin will still generate a description for these; it is your job to clear it.
Key terms
| Term | Definition |
| Alt text | A written description of an image, read by screen readers and used by search engines to understand visual content |
| Media editor | The WordPress interface for viewing and editing image metadata, including alt text, caption, and title |
| Decorative image | An image that adds visual style but carries no informational content; should have an empty alt text attribute |
✅ Check your understanding
- Think of an image type you commonly upload to your site. What would make AI-generated alt text for that image type accurate enough to publish without revision, and what would make it fall short?
- The AI plugin generates alt text for every image, including decorative ones. What is your process for deciding when to keep, revise, or clear the generated text?