How to add alt text to images on Twitter so that they can be read with screen readers

Dave Johnson

Jul 18, 2020, 01:17 IST

How to add alt text to images on Twitter so that they can be read with screen readers

It only takes a few clicks or taps to add alt text to a picture on Twitter.Associated Press

You can add alt text to images on Twitter to aid visually impaired users encountering your tweets.
You can add alt text using the Twitter mobile app by tapping the +ALT button in the corner of the image before posting the tweet.
In a web browser, you can add alt text to an image by clicking the Description button under the image before tweeting.
When you add alt text to an image on Twitter, users with screen readers will have that alt text read to them.

If you build web pages or publish content online, you may be familiar with alt text.

Alt texts are short captions you can add to images, describing what's in the image. These are helpful to visually impaired users, who rely on screen readers to use the internet.

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When a screen reader encounters a picture with alt text, the alt text will be read aloud, allowing those users to understand what you've posted.

Twitter makes it easy to write alt text for images when you use the Twitter website on your Mac or PC, as well as the Twitter mobile app for iPhone and Android devices.

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How to add alt text to images using Twitter on a mobile device

1. Using the Twitter app on your iPhone or Android, create a Tweet in the usual way. Tap the Image button to add an image to your Tweet and select a photo.

2. In the lower right corner of the image, tap "+ALT." This is the button that lets you add alt text to the tweet.

3. The first time you use alt text, the "Add descriptions" pop-up window appears, which explains the purpose of alt text. Tap "Sure" to dismiss it.

4. Type your description. You have up to 1000 characters, though you probably shouldn't use all that space — good alt text is usually under about 100 characters, no longer than an actual tweet.

5. When you're finished, tap "Done." You won't be able to see the alt text you just created, but you can verify it's there by tapping the "Alt" button again.

6. When you're ready, publish the tweet.

How to add alt text to images using the Twitter website

1. Open Twitter in a browser on your Mac or PC and create a tweet in the usual way. Click the Image button to add your photo to the tweet.

2. Below the image and to the right of "Tag people," click "Add description."

3. The first time you use alt text, the "Add descriptions" pop-up window appears, which explains the purpose of alt text. Tap "Sure" to agree to dismiss it.

4. Type your alt text in the "Description field." You can use up to 1000 characters, though you probably shouldn't use all that space — good alt text is usually under about 100 characters, no longer than an actual tweet.

5. When you're finished, click "Save." To return to your alt text, you can now click "ALT" in the lower left corner of the image.

6. When you're ready, publish the tweet.