Add useful image alt text in Squarespace
Squarespace image alternatives depend on the image element. An image block has an Image Alt Text field, while gallery and other image types can use different settings. Check the specific element instead of assuming a caption or filename always supplies a suitable alternative. The right wording explains the image’s purpose on that page.
Before you start
- Choose the page and identify whether each picture is an image block or gallery item.
- Read the adjacent heading, caption and paragraph before writing anything.
- Decide whether the image conveys information, provides a link or is decorative.
What to do
Find the element-specific setting
For an image block, open its Content controls and locate Image Alt Text. For a gallery or other layout, follow Squarespace’s guide for that image type. Do not change a visible caption unless you also intend to alter what sighted visitors read on the page.
Write for this particular placement
A photograph of a completed shopfront could describe the visible finished sign and entrance. The same picture used only as a decorative banner may need different treatment. Keep the description accurate and do not add claims about quality, location or materials that you cannot establish.
Review defaults and repeated content
Look for filenames such as final-final-2 and generic descriptions copied between unrelated pictures. Where a gallery description also appears as visible text, make sure it remains useful in both roles. Avoid repeating a whole nearby paragraph just because the image appears beside it.
Save and check the page meaning
Read the page without relying on its pictures: can a visitor still understand the services and next step? Inspect important image links and ensure their accessible names explain the destination. For a screen-reader check, use the published page and review more than the mere presence of a filled field.
What to check
- The correct field was edited for each image type.
- Descriptions communicate useful meaning without invented details.
- Important instructions also exist as readable page text.
Sources and further reading
Platform features can change. Check the provider’s current guidance before changing a live service.