Writing alt text that actually helps

Alt text is the description a screen reader speaks in place of an image. Done well, it lets someone who cannot see the picture follow along without missing anything. Done as a chore, it reads like noise.

A few rules carry you most of the way. Describe what matters in the context of the page, not every pixel. Skip "image of" and "photo of," the screen reader already says it is an image. If a picture is purely decorative, mark it so, and let the reader move on.

Windrow asks for a description on every meaningful image before it can publish. It will even draft one for you with AI, but a person always confirms it. The goal is not a filled-in field. It is a sentence that actually helps.