Using images in content

Start with Before you use images in content before adding decorative images.

Decorative images improve a page’s appearance but do not add meaning, functionality, or essential information.

Avoid adding images that do not add value, as they can clutter a page and distract from the main message.

What decorative images are

An image is decorative if people can still understand the content fully without seeing it.

They are not needed to complete a task or understand the information.

Examples include:

• stock photos that do not add new information (“eye-candy”)
• background images
• borders, icons, or graphics used only for visual style
• photos, illustrations, or graphics not essential to understanding the main text
• images that repeat information already explained in the text but are not referred to (redundant images)

Deciding if an image is decorative

Decide whether an image is decorative or informative based on why you are including it on the page, not what it looks like.

If you are unsure, try reading the page without looking at the image:

• If the content is clear without the image, it is decorative.
• If the image is needed to understand the content, it is informative.

Redundant images

Redundant images are informative images that repeat information already explained in the text. They may help some people, but they are not essential.

Because they add no new information, redundant images are treated as decorative for accessibility purposes.

Learn more about using redundant images at Using informative images

Marking images decorative

All decorative images must be marked so assistive technologies ignore them:

• On web pages, leave the alt text empty (alt="").
• In Word documents, mark the image as decorative.

Do not add alt text or captions to decorative images.

Learn how to mark images decorative in different types of content.