10 Free Alt Text Generators (And How To Use Them Safely On WordPress)

Free alt text generator tools sound like a small thing, right up until you watch a product page load 40 images with blank alt fields and you realize you have just locked out screen reader users and left image search traffic on the table. We have seen this happen after a rushed site launch, and the fix feels boring… until you see impressions climb and support emails drop.

Quick answer: use a free alt text generator to get fast, consistent drafts, then apply a simple checklist, edit for accuracy, and add the text in WordPress the right way (with guardrails for privacy and claims).

What Good Alt Text Does (Accessibility, SEO, And Conversions)

Alt text has one job: it describes an image in a way that helps people who cannot see it. When you treat that job seriously, you also get SEO and conversion gains as a side effect.

Here is what that means in practice:

• Accessibility: Screen readers use alt text to announce what is in the image and why it matters. That supports WCAG expectations and can reduce ADA risk for public-facing sites. W3C explains how alt text supports non-text content in WCAG (and when to use empty alt for decorative images). Screen reader support is not “nice to have“ when your site sells products or books appointments. WCAG 2.2 Understanding Success Criterion 1.1.1
• SEO: Google uses image information, including alt text, to understand images and match them to searches. Alt text also helps Google connect the image to the page topic. Google’s own documentation recommends descriptive alt text for images. Google Search -> Uses -> Better understanding -> Image ranking. Google Search Central: Images
• Conversions: Better alt text helps more people complete tasks. That can mean “add to cart“ for ecommerce, “book now” for local services, or “request a quote“ for B2B. Accessible UX -> Reduces -> abandonment. In our audits, the biggest win is not magic rankings. It is fewer dead ends for real customers.

A small reminder we give clients: if the image is a button, the alt text describes the action. “Download the sizing chart“ beats “chart.“

The Alt Text Checklist We Use Before Touching Any Tools

We do not start with tools. We start with a checklist, because a free alt text generator can draft words, but it cannot read your business intent.

Let’s break it down. Here is the checklist we run on every image:

1. Describe the content and function in plain language. If it is a product photo, say what the product is. If it is a hero banner that sells a service, say what the banner communicates.
2. Keep it short. We aim for under 125 characters so screen readers do not turn your page into a podcast.
3. Add context from the page. Captions, headings, and filenames give clues. A “black dress” on a fashion site needs different detail than a “black dress” in a law firm’s charity gala recap.
4. Use keywords only when they fit. Good alt text -> Helps -> relevance. Keyword stuffing -> Hurts -> clarity.
5. Use empty alt for decorative images. If an image is just a divider or background flourish, use alt="" so assistive tech skips it.
6. Keep tone consistent. Product catalog images should follow a repeatable pattern. Blog images can be more descriptive.
7. Assume you will edit AI output. AI drafts -> Need -> human review for accuracy, sensitive topics, and brand language.

If you want a companion read, we keep a practical guide on our site for image SEO and accessibility work inside WordPress: WordPress SEO services (use it as a checklist companion during content updates).

10 Free Alt Text Generators To Try

Most “free” tools come with limits. Some give a free tier, some give a trial, and some are free inside a design app you already use. Still, you can get a lot done without paying, if you pick the right tool for the job.

Below are 10 free alt text generator options we see clients use, grouped by how you will actually work.

Browser-Based Generators (No Install)

These work well when you need quick drafts for a batch of blog images or a small product collection.

1. AutoAlt.ai: Good for bulk workflows and consistent formatting. It fits teams that want “draft first, edit second.”
2. AltText.ai InstantAlt: Designed for simple site insertion. It can fit WordPress teams that want a light way to generate text as images get added.
3. Pixc Alt Text Generator: Ecommerce-friendly and geared toward product images.
4. Azure AI Image Analysis (free tier): Useful when you need scale and you have a developer who can wire it into a workflow.

Built Into Design Tools (Canva, Adobe Express, Figma)

If your team already designs social graphics and ads, keep alt text close to where assets get created.

1. Canva Magic Studio: Canva often provides suggested descriptions inside its workflow. That keeps designers from guessing later.
2. Adobe Express: Can offer suggestions depending on your plan and features available.
3. Figma plugins (AltText Bot and similar community plugins): Great for UI teams who want alt text attached to components and frames before handoff.

Mobile Options For Social Posts

Social posts create a steady stream of images. Mobile-friendly tools help you keep up.

1. Canva mobile app: Handy when you post on the go and want alt text drafts while you export.
2. Pixc mobile workflow: Useful when product shots come from a phone-first process.
3. Microsoft Designer: Often provides suggestions while you create graphics, which can help you copy alt text into your CMS later.

Practical note: verify the current free limits before you commit a team workflow. Tool pricing changes fast.

If you run WooCommerce, we often pair “generator drafts” with a structured naming convention in product galleries. Product taxonomy -> Improves -> alt text consistency. That makes later cleanups cheaper.

How To Add And Manage Alt Text In WordPress

WordPress makes alt text easy to add, but it also makes it easy to forget. We fix that by turning it into a repeatable content step.

Media Library And Block Editor Workflows

Use whichever matches how your team uploads images.

• Media Library: Go to Media > Library, click an image, then fill the Alt Text field.
• Block Editor: Click the image block, then set Alt text in the block settings panel.

Two rules we follow:

1. Set alt text at upload time when possible. Upload workflow -> Prevents -> backlog.
2. Audit older images quarterly. Content drift -> Creates -> missing alt text.

If your site runs on WordPress and you want fewer moving parts, we often build a light content checklist into the editor experience. Custom fields -> Enforce -> required alt text on key templates.

Related reading that helps teams keep the site clean and fast while they edit media: website maintenance services.

Bulk And At-Scale Options (Ecommerce And Large Libraries)

Bulk needs change the tool choice.

• If you manage hundreds or thousands of product images, pick a tool that supports bulk processing, exports, or an API.
• If you run seasonal catalogs, run the generator in batches, then spot-check high-traffic categories first.

This is the safest pattern we use:

1. Run generation in shadow mode. You store drafts in a sheet or custom field.
2. Review the top 50 revenue pages first.
3. Publish in controlled batches.
4. Log changes so you can roll back if the output reads wrong.

If you want us to wire this into WordPress cleanly, we usually do it with a small plugin or WordPress hooks like add_attachment and wp_generate_attachment_metadata. That keeps the workflow inside WordPress instead of scattered across inboxes. You can see how we approach builds like that on our WordPress website development page.

Governance And Risk Guardrails (Privacy, Claims, And Human Review)

Alt text feels harmless, yet it can create real risk when AI guesses wrong.

Here is why. AI output -> Can cause -> false claims. False claims -> Can trigger -> customer complaints or legal exposure.

We use three guardrails:

1. Privacy and data handling

• Do not upload sensitive images to a third-party free alt text generator if you cannot confirm how the vendor stores data.
• Avoid patient images, ID documents, contracts, and anything that reveals private information.
• If you work in healthcare, finance, or legal, keep humans in the loop and keep sensitive work inside approved systems.

1. Claims control

• AI might describe a product as “leather” when it is vegan leather.
• AI might describe a supplement as “treats anxiety,“ which you should not publish.
• Your reviewer should check materials, colors, quantities, and any implied promise.

1. Human review with a simple SLA

• Set a rule: “No AI-generated alt text goes live without a human check.”
• Assign ownership: marketing owns blog images, ecommerce owns product images, support owns knowledge base screenshots.
• Keep a log for bulk updates.

For accessibility standards, we anchor on W3C guidance for non-text content and when to use empty alt. That single rule prevents a lot of accidental noise for screen reader users. W3C WCAG 2.2: Non-text Content

If you want a policy starting point for AI use, the FTC has also published guidance on truthfulness and avoiding deceptive claims. Marketing claims -> Affect -> consumer trust. FTC: Advertising and Marketing on the Internet

Conclusion

A free alt text generator can save hours, but the win comes from the workflow, not the tool. Draft fast, edit with intent, and publish with guardrails.

If you want the lowest-risk path, start with one content type. Pick “top product category pages“ or “new blog posts only.“ Run it for two weeks, measure time saved, and then expand.

When you are ready, we can help you set up WordPress so alt text becomes a normal part of publishing, not a cleanup project that sits in a spreadsheet forever.

Frequently Asked Questions About Free Alt Text Generators

What is a free alt text generator and why should I use one?

A free alt text generator is a tool that creates draft descriptions for images. It helps you fill missing alt attributes quickly and consistently, which improves accessibility for screen reader users and can support image SEO. The best approach is draft fast, then edit for accuracy and context.

How do I write good alt text for accessibility and SEO?

Start by describing the image’s content and function in plain language, then keep it concise (often under ~125 characters). Add page context when it matters, and use keywords only if they fit naturally. For decorative visuals, use empty alt (alt=”“) so assistive tech can skip them.

Which 10 free alt text generator tools are worth trying?

Popular options include AutoAlt.ai, AltText.ai InstantAlt, Pixc Alt Text Generator, and Azure AI Image Analysis (free tier). Design-workflow choices include Canva Magic Studio, Adobe Express, and Figma alt text plugins. For mobile/social, Canva mobile, Pixc mobile workflows, and Microsoft Designer can help.

How do I add and manage alt text in WordPress after using a free alt text generator?

In WordPress, you can add alt text in Media Library (Media > Library > select image) or in the Block Editor via the image block settings. Best practice: set alt text at upload time to avoid backlogs, and audit older images quarterly to catch missing or outdated descriptions.

Can a free alt text generator handle bulk ecommerce image libraries safely?

It can, but you’ll want bulk features (exports, batch processing, or an API) and a controlled rollout. A safer pattern is generating drafts in “shadow mode,” reviewing high-traffic or high-revenue pages first, publishing in small batches, and logging changes so you can roll back if needed.

What are the risks of using AI alt text generators, and how can I prevent problems?

AI can guess wrong and create privacy or legal issues—for example, mislabeling materials (“leather” vs. vegan leather) or implying unsupported claims. Avoid uploading sensitive images without clear data handling terms, and enforce a rule that no AI-generated alt text goes live without human review and ownership.