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Image alt text length
Keep image alt text to about 125 characters. There is no hard limit, but some screen readers cut alt text off around this length.
Image alt text character counter
Paste your text to check it against the 125 character guideline. It runs in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.
Good to know
Image alt text facts
- Alt text helps people using screen readers and helps search engines understand images.
- Decorative images should have empty alt text so screen readers skip them.
Tips
Writing a better Image alt text
- Describe what is in the image and why it matters on the page.
- Do not start with "image of", since screen readers already announce it as an image.
FAQ
Image alt text: common questions
What is the Image alt text character limit?+
Keep image alt text to about 125 characters. There is no hard limit, but some screen readers cut alt text off around this length.
Do spaces and emojis count toward the Image alt text limit?+
Yes. Spaces, punctuation, line breaks and emojis all count. The counter on this page counts each emoji as one character.
What happens if an Image alt text is over 125 characters?+
Nothing breaks, but some screen readers stop reading after about 125 characters, so the rest may be lost.
Limits last checked October 2026. Platforms change them from time to time, so check the Web editor if a number looks off.
Other character limits
Counting words instead? Use the Word and Character Counter or see how many pages any word count fills.