Excel always gives tons of options to make your document worthy enough to be presentable. Sometimes, you may need to use a screen reader and for this, a reader would find it easier to interpret the objects with alt text. Basically, alt text is a short form of alternative text in which an object is named as alt text just to make it easier for the screen reader to understand what it is on the screen.
Understanding how to add alternative text in Excel is not a useless thing that’s why today you will get to know some easy-to-follow methods that let you find a simple answer to this query.
How to Add Alternative Text in Excel with Format Tab?
You must have noticed that a Format tab gets highlighted on the ribbon whenever you select an image, shape, or chart. It lets you apply several effects on that object besides; it also has the option to add alt text.
Let’s follow the steps:
- To select the image, left-click on it
- The 8 resize handles will pop up once you select the image.
- Open the Format tab.
- Choose the Alt Text Command.
- The Alt Text menu will appear on the right side of the screen.
- Here, add a short description you need for the alternate text.
- Press the X located in the upper right side of the Alt Text menu.
Depending on your choice, you can check the Mark as a decorative setting to make readers know that the image isn’t important enough. That’s it! Your image has now an alt text description.
How to Add Alternative Text in Excel with the Right-Click Menu?
In our second method, you will get to know another trick used for adding alt text. With the help of right-click menu, you can add alt text in Excel easily. It seems the simplest method of all and for this process let’s follow the steps given below:
- Choose the image.
- Right-click on the image to open the context menu.
- Click on the Edit Alt Text option from the context menu.
- On the right side of the screen, you will notice the Alt Text menu.
- Enter the alt text you need for the image in the description box. Here in this example, the following text is added:
“A motorbike parked on the side of a road.”
- It is up to you what description you prefer to add. Your description could be lengthier than this. Once you are done with the description, close the window by clicking on the close button.
That it! Isn’t it the simplest method?
How to Add Alternative Text in Excel with the Review Tab?
With the Review tab as well, you can simply add an alternative text in Excel. Let’s get straight to the steps:
- Choose the image on which you need to add the alt text.
- Open the Review tab.
- Select the Check Accessibility command.
- From the menu, click on the Alt Text option.
- The Alt Text window will pop up.
- Enter the alternative text description you need for the image.
That’s it!
This is how to add alternative text in Excel with the Review tab.
How to Add Alternative Text in Excel for Tables?
Sometimes, you may need to add alt text in Excel for tables with the help of the right-click menu. Well, this procedure may seem a bit different because adding alt text for tables is not similar to images or charts.
Let’s have a look at the steps:
- Below you can see a table:
- Right-click on the table with your mouse cursor and it will open up the context menu.
- Now, click on the Table option.
- Open the Alternative Text option given in the sub-menu that pops up.
- You will see a window of Alternative Text.
- Add the title you need for the table in the Title box. Here, you can see the title is: Company Sales
- Now, add the description for the table. Here we have added this description: “This table shows the sales made by the company from the month of January to June”.
- Once you are done with the description, press OK to save the changes.
Also, remember that only users of Excel 2019 and later can use this approach to add alt text in Excel.
Summary:
When it comes to accessibility, the alt text plays an important role. It is great to know how you can add alt text to images or other objects so that all users can easily approach the idea. The above-mentioned methods are highly effective and you will get the same results every time. On the other hand, adding text for tables is a quite different approach that can be used easily.
