Image description generator
When a one-line alt is not enough: describe a photo in detail, write captions, draft social media alt text, or turn a chart into words.
Drop images here, paste from clipboard, or
Up to 5 images · JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF · resized in your browser to 1024 px before sending · never stored
Which kind of description do you need?
| Output | Where it goes | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Alt text | alt attribute on the page | One sentence |
| Detailed description | Visible text, <details>, or a linked page | A paragraph |
| Caption | <figcaption> under the image | A line |
| Social alt | The platform's "alt text" / "image description" field | 1–3 sentences |
| Chart description | Short alt plus nearby long description or data table | Alt + paragraph |
Complex images need two parts
For charts, maps and diagrams, the W3C WAI images tutorial recommends a two-part text alternative: a short alt that names the image and its key point, and a long description with the data. Putting a whole data set in an alt attribute makes it hard to navigate, because screen readers read alt in one go with no way to pause on a row.
Source: W3C WAI, Complex Images tutorial.
Describing people
Describe what is visible and relevant: action, expression, clothing if it matters. Avoid guessing identity, age or ethnicity unless it is known and relevant to the content. The model will not name people unless the name appears in the image.
A worked example
Alt: Cyclist in a yellow rain jacket riding across a wet cobblestone bridge at dusk
Caption: Rush hour, rain or not: the old town bridge at 6 pm.
Detailed: A woman in a bright yellow hooded rain jacket and dark trousers rides a black city bike toward the camera along a rain-slicked cobblestone bridge. Tall gabled brick houses line the canal on both sides, their windows and street lamps glowing warm orange against a deep blue evening sky. Puddles between the cobbles reflect the lights. A few pedestrians walk in the distance.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between alt text and an image description?
Alt text is a short replacement for the image inside the alt attribute, usually one sentence. An image description is longer and sits in visible text, a caption or a linked page; W3C WAI calls it a long description and recommends it for complex images such as charts, maps and diagrams.
Can AI describe any image?
It handles photos, illustrations, screenshots, charts and images with text well. It will not name real people unless their name is visible in the image, and it may misread tiny text or unusual subjects, so check details that matter.
Is the image caption generator different from alt text?
Yes. A caption is visible to everyone and can add information the image does not show, like who took it or why it matters. Alt text replaces the image for people who cannot see it. Many pages need both, and they should not repeat each other word for word.
What should alt text on Instagram or LinkedIn say?
Describe what a sighted follower would notice: the subject, the action, the setting and any text in the image. Social alt text can run a little longer than web alt text because it is the only description the post has. The "Social post" mode is written for that.