Glossary
What is alt text on Instagram?
Alt text is a short written description of a photo, read aloud by screen readers for people who are blind or have low vision. Instagram generates one automatically, but you can write your own: when you share a photo, tap Advanced settings, then Write alt text.
Updated 6 October 2026
Alt text (alternative text) is a written description of an image that screen readers read aloud, so people who can’t see the photo know what it shows.
How to add or edit alt text on Instagram
On a new post
- Choose your photo, edit it and tap Next until you reach the caption screen.
- Tap Advanced settings at the bottom of that screen.
- Tap Write alt text, type your description and save it before you share the post.
On a photo you’ve already posted
Open the post, tap the three dots and choose Edit. An Edit alt text button appears at the bottom right of the photo; tap it, rewrite the description and save. Sighted followers won’t notice any change.
Tip: Alt text never shows on the post. Followers see your photo and caption as usual, and the description is read only by screen readers, such as VoiceOver on iPhone and TalkBack on Android.
What Instagram writes for you automatically
Instagram added automatic alt text in November 2018. It uses object recognition to guess what a photo contains, and a screen reader user browsing Feed, Explore or a profile hears that list of items. Instagram’s announcement pointed to more than 285 million people worldwide with visual impairments.
A guess at objects beats silence, but it can’t know what matters about your photo. It might pick out a person, a plate and a table. It can’t tell anyone that the dish is your new vegan lasagne, that it’s on the menu from Friday or why you posted it. That’s the job of the alt text you write.
Facebook works the same way: it writes automatic alt text for photos, and you can replace it with your own on photos you upload there.
How to write alt text people can use
- Lead with what the post is about. For a product, name the item, colour, material and anything included; for an event photo, say what is happening.
- Type out the words in any graphic: prices, dates, opening hours, the offer. Don’t count on the automatic description to read them aloud.
- Keep it to a sentence or two. Someone listening can’t skim, so every extra word costs them time.
- Skip “image of” and “photo of”. Screen readers generally announce that it’s an image already.
- Leave out hashtags, emojis and keyword lists. A screen reader reads each one aloud, so “#bakery #cake #birthdaycake” becomes a chore to sit through.
- Add what the caption doesn’t say instead of repeating it. Listeners hear both.
| Photo | Weak alt text | Better alt text |
|---|---|---|
| Cake listing | cake | Three-tier lemon cake with white icing and fresh blueberries on a wooden stand |
| Sale graphic | sale | Pink graphic reading: 30% off all candles, Friday to Sunday only |
| Skincare flat lay | #skincare #glow #selfcare | Cleanser, toner and moisturiser in matching green glass bottles on a white towel |
| Opening day photo | image of people smiling | Four bakers in flour-dusted aprons laughing behind the counter on opening day |
Why it matters for a business account
Shoppers who use screen readers rely on your alt text to learn whether the jacket is navy or black, whether the set includes the case, or whether your café opens on Sundays. If a menu, price list or opening-hours post is a picture of text, the alt text may be the only way they can read it.
Calls to action need the same care. A graphic that says “Comment PRICE for the full list” leaves out anyone who can’t see it, unless the keyword also appears in the caption or the alt text. Writing it in both costs nothing.
Some marketing guides treat alt text as a hidden place for keywords. Instagram launched it as an accessibility feature, and a string of search terms makes the photo harder to follow for the people it was built for.
An example
A candle shop posts three jars side by side. Its alt text reads “Three amber glass candles, fig, cedar and sea salt, each with a cork lid,” so a screen reader user knows exactly which scents are for sale.
Questions people ask
Where do I add alt text on Instagram?
When you share a photo, tap Advanced settings on the last screen, then Write alt text. For a photo that’s already posted, open it, tap the three dots, choose Edit and tap Edit alt text at the bottom right of the image.
Can my followers see my alt text?
Not in the app. It isn’t printed on the post or under the caption. People hear it only when a screen reader reads the post aloud, so it can be as plain and practical as you need.
Does alt text help my posts get found?
Instagram introduced alt text as an accessibility feature, to describe photos for people using screen readers, so write it for them. Filling it with hashtags or keywords makes it harder to listen to. If you want to be found in search, those words belong in your name, bio and captions.
How long should alt text be?
Long enough to describe what matters and no longer, usually one or two sentences. A product photo needs the item and its key details; a graphic needs its words typed out. If you find yourself writing a paragraph, some of it probably belongs in the caption.
Does Facebook have alt text too?
Yes. Facebook also generates automatic alt text using object recognition, and you can swap in your own description on photos you upload. The same advice applies on both apps: describe what matters, type out any words, skip the hashtags.
Sources
Related terms
- CarouselOne Instagram post made of several swipeable images or videos, with a single caption and a single comment thread. Meta’s publishing docs cap it at 10 items.
- Call to action (CTA)A prompt that tells your audience the next step, such as Sign up, Book now or Comment GUIDE. It can be a button in an ad or words in a post or video.
- HashtagA word or phrase written with a # in front and no spaces, such as #sourdough. It labels a post so people can find other posts about the same topic.
- Explore pageInstagram’s Explore page shows posts from accounts you don’t follow, ranked mainly by how popular a post is and what you have engaged with before.
- Instagram algorithmThe ranking systems that decide what each person sees on Instagram. Instagram says there is no single algorithm: Feed, Stories, Explore and Reels each rank differently.
- Profile gridThe profile grid is the area of an Instagram profile where a person’s posts appear as small tiles in rows, so a visitor sees many of them at a glance.
More terms
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