Edit a product image in Shopify
- In Shopify Admin, open Products and choose a product.
- Open an image in the product’s Media section.
- Choose the alt-text editing option, enter a useful description, and save.
- Repeat for the other product images, describing the details or angle each one adds.
Shopify’s interface can change. See Shopify’s product-media instructions for the current steps. Editing product media does not automatically cover theme banners, collection images, or every image on your storefront.
Describe the view, not a list of keywords
Start with the product or object, then add the details that matter in that particular image. Color, shape, material, pattern, and camera angle can help distinguish similar photos. Do not guess details that the image cannot establish.
| Image | Weak description | More useful description |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | best shirt sale | Blue linen button-down shirt with long sleeves, front view |
| Homeware | vase.png | Speckled cream ceramic vase with a narrow neck on a wooden shelf |
| Product detail | Leather bag | Close-up of brass zipper and stitched handle on a brown leather tote |
Keep descriptions concise, without treating length as a compliance test
Use enough words to convey the image’s purpose. Legible limits drafts to 125 characters to encourage concise review; WCAG does not set a universal 125-character requirement. Complex information may need a longer explanation in nearby page text.
When should alt text be empty?
A purely decorative image can use an empty alt attribute when it adds no information. Product photography usually communicates product details and benefits from meaningful text. A linked image may need to describe its destination or action instead. Context determines the right choice.
Use the W3C alt decision tree to decide whether an image needs a description. Review your theme’s rendered markup as well as the saved product field.
When does bulk drafting help?
If you have a few images, writing them manually is a useful starting point. For a larger or regularly updated catalog, AI drafts can reduce repetitive writing. Review every suggestion against the image, remove invented details, and check the chosen language.
Legible lets you browse product images page by page, generate drafts, edit them, and explicitly approve the text saved to Shopify. Existing live descriptions are preserved by default. Auto-mode is optional and prepares drafts rather than publishing them.
What can alt text do for SEO?
Clear descriptions give search engines image context and support people using screen readers. Alt text alone does not guarantee rankings, traffic, sales, or accessibility compliance. Keep the surrounding product page useful too.
References: Google image SEO guidance and W3C image accessibility tutorial.
Try a description before installing
Use the free alt-text checker to spot common writing issues without an account or upload. To draft descriptions inside your catalog, install Legible on Shopify. Start with 25 free image credits per calendar month; paid plans add capacity.