1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A) — WCAG 2.1
WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A): what it requires, a common e-commerce accessibility failure, and how to fix it.
This is educational technical reference content, not legal advice. It explains what WCAG 2.1 requires and how to meet it — not whether a specific site carries legal risk. Compliance with WCAG, the ADA, or any other accessibility law or standard is a legal determination; consult qualified counsel for legal risk assessment.
WCAG 2.1 guidelines hub → Perceivable → 1.1.1 Non-text Content
1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A)
What it requires: Every piece of non-text content — images, icons, buttons, form image inputs, CAPTCHAs, charts — needs a text alternative that serves the same purpose. Purely decorative images are the exception: they should be hidden from assistive technology entirely (an empty alt="", not a missing attribute), not described.
Common failure: A product thumbnail on a category page has alt="product1.jpg" or no alt attribute at all. A screen-reader user hears either the filename or the surrounding link text with no indication of what the product actually is.
Fix it: Write alt text that names the product and its distinguishing visual detail the way a salesperson would describe it over the phone (“Navy canvas backpack with brown leather straps”), not a generic label like “product image.” Decorative flourishes — background textures, spacer images — get alt="". See our companion piece on writing alt text that passes a manual review for the full breakdown by image category.
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This is educational technical reference content, not legal advice. It explains what WCAG 2.1 requires and how to meet it — not whether a specific site carries legal risk. Compliance with WCAG, the ADA, or any other accessibility law or standard is a legal determination; consult qualified counsel for legal risk assessment.
This page was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by a person for accuracy before publication.