The “Missing Image Link Alternative Text Check” evaluates whether there are anchor (<a>) elements that contain only an image where that image has an empty alt attribute (e.g., alt="")
Example outcome
I found 1 link with empty content. In fact, it is composed only by an image and that image has as an empty alternative text equivalent (i.e. alt=ʺʺ).
Impact
Visual Impairments: Screen readers rely on alt text to announce the purpose of the link. With no alt text, users hear nothing or just “link,” which is meaningless.
Cognitive Disabilities: Users with cognitive disabilities using text-to-speech or simplified browsing tools will also miss the link’s purpose, leading to confusion.
Fixes
To address missing alt text on an image link:
Identify the image lacking alt text.
Determine a meaningful alternative text.
Add alt text to the image using descriptive language, ensuring it accurately represents the image’s purpose.