@Asmi-Ta said in Icon Alt description:

How effective is to add alt tags to icons?

Here are a few considerations for adding alt tags to icons:

• Decorative Icons: If an icon is purely decorative and does not convey essential information, it's best to omit the alt tag or use an empty alt attribute (alt=""). This informs screen readers that the icon is not meaningful content.

• Functional Icons: Icons that serve as interactive elements (e.g., buttons or links) should have appropriate text labels or be part of a larger interface with clear text instructions. In such cases, the text label or surrounding content should convey the icon's purpose.

• Screen Reader Compatibility: Some screen readers may interpret alt text on icons, which can be confusing to users if the alt text does not provide meaningful information. Therefore, it's crucial to use alt text judiciously for icons and ensure that it enhances, rather than hinders, the user experience.

• SEO: Alt tags are more relevant for images when it comes to SEO, as they help search engines understand the content of images and improve the discoverability of web pages in image search results. Icons, being small and often part of larger designs, do not typically have the same impact on SEO.