Key takeaways
- For product images: Products > select product > click the image > edit alt text.
- For theme images: Theme Editor > click the image block > alt text field in the settings panel.
- Alt text improves Google Image Search rankings and is required for accessibility compliance.
- Keep alt text descriptive and specific - include the product name, colour, and key detail.
Alt text is the written description attached to an image. It serves two purposes: it tells search engines what the image shows, and it provides a text alternative for users who can’t see the image. Both matter for a Shopify store.
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How to add alt text to product images
Step 1. Go to your Shopify admin > Products.
Step 2. Click the product you want to update.
Step 3. In the Media section, click on the image you want to edit.
Step 4. A panel opens on the right (or a modal, depending on your Shopify version). You’ll see an Alt text field.
Step 5. Write your alt text and click Save.
Repeat for each image on the product. Each image should have its own unique alt text describing what that specific image shows.
How to add alt text to theme images
Theme images - banners, hero images, background images added through the Theme Editor - have their alt text set differently.
Step 1. Go to Online Store > Themes > Customize.
Step 2. Click on the section or block containing the image.
Step 3. In the settings panel on the left, find the image selector. Below it, you’ll usually see an Alt text or Image alt text field.
Step 4. Enter your alt text and save.
If you don’t see an alt text field for a particular image in the Theme Editor, that section may not expose it as an editable field. In that case, the alt text would need to be set in the theme code.
How to add alt text to blog and page images
For images added to blog posts or pages via the rich text editor:
Step 1. In the page or blog post editor, click the image.
Step 2. Click the edit image icon (pencil icon) that appears.
Step 3. Enter the alt text in the field provided.
Step 4. Save.
How to write good alt text for Shopify
Be specific. “White ceramic mug” is better than “mug”. “Women’s navy blue running shorts - front view” is better than “shorts”.
Include the product name. For product images, always include the product name as it appears on your store. This helps Google understand what you’re selling and improves ranking for product-specific searches.
Describe what’s actually shown. If the image is a lifestyle shot with the product in use, describe the scene: “Person wearing red hiking jacket on mountain trail.” If it’s a product-only shot, describe the product.
Don’t stuff keywords. Alt text should read naturally. “White mug white mug ceramic mug gift mug” is bad alt text and may be flagged as spam by Google.
Don’t start with “image of” or “photo of”. Search engines already know it’s an image. Just describe the content directly.
Why alt text matters for SEO
Product images can rank in Google Image Search and drive incremental traffic. Images with relevant alt text are significantly more likely to rank for relevant searches than images with empty or generic alt text.
Shopify’s own meta tags for products use the featured image alt text in some contexts. Getting this right for your top products is worth the 30 seconds per image it takes.
Why alt text matters for accessibility
Alt text is a core requirement of WCAG accessibility standards. Screen readers used by visually impaired users read the alt text aloud when they encounter an image. Without it, they hear “image” or nothing at all - which makes your product information inaccessible.
For e-commerce, accessibility matters both ethically and legally. Several major retailers have faced ADA lawsuits over inaccessible websites in the US.
How do I add text over an image in Shopify?
Adding text over an image (an overlay) is different from alt text. Alt text is invisible metadata for SEO and screen readers. Visible text overlaid on an image is done in the Theme Editor — use a section like “Image banner” or “Image with text overlay” which has a built-in text block that renders on top of the image. You can control the text position, color, and background opacity in the section settings. Note that text over images can reduce accessibility if the contrast is too low, so always check readability.
