WCAG 2.0 · Level A · Perceivable
WCAG 1.1.1 — Non-text Content
All non-text content — images, icons, charts, buttons — needs a text alternative that conveys its purpose, or be marked decorative so assistive tech skips it.
WCAG 1.1.1 at a glance
Level A · Principle: Perceivable · Added in WCAG 2.0. Level A is the minimum — failing it blocks some users entirely.
What it means
All non-text content — images, icons, charts, buttons — needs a text alternative that conveys its purpose, or be marked decorative so assistive tech skips it.
Who it helps
Screen-reader users, people on slow connections, and search engines.
Common failures
- Images with no alt attribute (screen readers may read the file name)
- Meaningful images with empty alt=""
- Decorative images given descriptive alt text
- Icon buttons with no accessible label
How to meet WCAG 1.1.1
- Add concise, purposeful alt text to meaningful images
- Use alt="" for purely decorative images
- Give icon-only controls an accessible name (aria-label or visible text)
- Summarize charts in alt and provide the data nearby
How to test it
Largely automatable — a scanner flags missing alt. Whether the alt text is meaningful needs human review.