Fix guide · Squarespace
How to Add Alt Text to Images in Squarespace (2026)
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers and search engines. Google uses alt text to understand image content for image search indexing and to reinforce the page topic. Our checker found one or more images on your Squarespace page without alt text. Squarespace calls this field "Image Description" and makes it easy to set through the image editor.
Why it matters
What this issue costs you
Alt text serves two purposes: accessibility (screen readers announce it to visually impaired users) and SEO (Google uses it to understand and index images). Pages with descriptive alt text rank better in image search and show slightly stronger relevance signals for the page topic. Missing alt text is also an accessibility compliance issue under WCAG guidelines.
Step-by-step
How to fix: Missing image alt text
Squarespace
- 1
Add alt text to a content image
In the Squarespace editor, navigate to the page with the image. Click the image to select it. Click the pencil icon (edit) that appears on the image, or double-click the image. In the image editor panel, find the "Image Description" field (also called "Alt Text" or "Filename" depending on the block type). Write a concise, descriptive phrase — for example, "A barista pouring latte art in a ceramic cup". Click "Save" or "Apply".
- 2
Add alt text to gallery images
For Squarespace gallery blocks and gallery pages: click the gallery in the editor, then click "Edit" to open the gallery manager. Click each individual image. In the image details panel, fill in the "Description" or "Alt Text" field. This alt text applies when the image is displayed in the gallery and in any lightbox view.
- 3
Add alt text to blog post images
In the blog post editor, click an image within your post content. Click the pencil icon or the image settings button. Fill in the "Image Description" field. For the blog post's thumbnail/featured image, set the alt text in the post settings under the thumbnail image section.
- 4
Decorative images — leave alt text empty
If an image is purely decorative (a background pattern, a divider graphic, an abstract design element), leave the description field empty. Squarespace will render an empty alt attribute (alt=""), which tells screen readers to skip the image. Do not write "decorative" or "image" — an empty field is the correct approach.
Verify the fix
Run the checker to confirm the issue is resolved
After applying the steps above, paste your URL below. Our checker will re-run every applicable check and show whether missing image alt text still shows as a failing check.
FAQ
Common questions about missing image alt text
How long should alt text be on Squarespace?
Write one concise, descriptive sentence — typically under 125 characters. Describe what the image shows and why it is relevant to the page. Avoid starting with "image of" or "photo of" — screen readers already announce the element as an image.
Should I put keywords in image alt text?
If the image is relevant to your target keyword, your natural description will likely include it. But do not keyword-stuff — "SEO checker SEO tool SEO analysis best SEO" as alt text hurts more than it helps. Write for humans first.
Where is the alt text field in Squarespace?
Squarespace labels it "Image Description" in most block types. Click any image in the editor, then click the pencil icon or double-click to open image settings. The description/alt text field appears in the image details panel. The exact location varies slightly between Squarespace 7.0 and 7.1 templates.
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