Add Alt Text to Images

What is an alt text – and why is it important?

An alt text (alternative text) describes the content of an image. It is especially important for:

Accessibility – e.g. for people with visual impairments using screen readers
Search engine optimisation (SEO) – it helps Google understand your images
Fallback – in case the image doesn’t load properly

Alt texts are an essential step to make your content accessible and understandable for everyone.

Where should the alt text be added?

To make sure the alt text is applied everywhere it’s needed, we recommend:

Start in the ChurchDesk file manager. Write or copy your alt text here.
When you use the image later – for example on your website or in Studio – simply copy and paste the text.
Alt texts from the ChurchDesk file manager are not yet automatically transferred to other ChurchDesk modules (like the calendar, website editor or Studio).
If you add an image directly to a description or content section, the alt text is not automatically included – so please copy and paste it manually here too.

Step-by-step: Add alt text in the ChurchDesk file manager

Open the file manager in ChurchDesk (via the menu > “Groups” > open your group’s files or use the shared file manager via “Files”).
Find the image file you want to update.
Click the file name – this opens the file’s detail view.
Here you can:
Edit the title
Set the visibility
...
And at the very bottom, enter the Alt text.

Important: If you rename the file, make sure the file extension (e.g. ".jpg", ".png", ".webp") stays the same. Otherwise, the image might not be usable later – for example in the website editor.

Add alt text in the ChurchDesk website editor

When using images in the website editor, you’ll need to enter the alt text again or copy it from the file manager. Alt texts from the ChurchDesk file manager are currently not added automatically.

When uploading new images:

Open your website in the website editor.
Click Content > File Manager in the top-right corner.
Either:
Upload a new image via Upload file
Or choose an image from Open external media library
When the image is uploaded or selected, click the small arrow next to the image name.
A detail view opens underneath the image.
Manually enter the alt text here or paste it from the ChurchDesk file manager.

When editing existing images already placed on a page:

Go to the image you want to edit on your page.
Double-click the image or click the pencil icon (edit).
Go to the Content tab > General.
Enter the alt text in the field “Alternative text”.
Save using the green checkmark in the top-right corner.

Important to know:
If you change the alt text in the website editor, the text only applies to that one image on that specific page.
The original file in the file manager will not be updated.

That means, If you use the same image on another page later, the alt text will not carry over – unless it was saved in the file manager beforehand.

Recommendation: Always update or copy the alt text in the ChurchDesk file manager first.
This way, it will be automatically used when you insert the image again in the future.

Quick check: See which images are missing alt texts:

You can easily check this in the website editor:
Open the website editor.
Click Content > SEO in the top-right menu.
Open the SEO checker.

Here you’ll see a list of all pages. Pages with missing alt texts are marked with an orange circle and an exclamation mark (!) next to the page name. This helps you quickly find where something is missing – and update it.

Add alt text in the Studio editor (digital posters, invitations...)

Alt texts are also not automatically transferred to Studio.
Please copy and paste it here manually as well:

Add the image to your design as usual.
Click the image – the right-hand panel shows various image settings.
Scroll down until you see the field for Alternative text.
Enter or paste the text here.

How to write a good alt text

A good alt text clearly and briefly describes what can be seen in the image – without too much detail or interpretation.

The most important rules:

✅ Describe what’s actually visible
❌ Don’t describe the mood or what the image is supposed to “say”

✅ Keep it short – one sentence is usually enough
❌ Don’t write a caption or a full story

✅ No need to say “image of...” or “photo shows...”
❌ Screen readers already announce that it’s an image

Image contentHead 2	Good alt text
A group photo of confirmation students	“Confirmation students from Musterdorf parish”
A burning tealight on a dark table	“Burning tealight on a dark wooden table”
Invitation to harvest thanksgiving	“Invitation card with pumpkins for harvest service”
Child drawing a cross on a poster	“Child drawing a cross with crayon on paper”

What’s too little?

No alt text at all – screen reader users won’t know what the image shows
Just “Image” or “Logo” – too vague
Just the file name – like "IMG_4739.jpg" – unhelpful

What’s too much?

“In the photo you see a small child sitting at a round wooden table on a rainy afternoon, drawing a Christian cross on a large white sheet of paper using a red crayon.”
-> Too long, too detailed – this overwhelms screen reader users.

Tip: Ask yourself… If I couldn’t see this image – what would I need to know to understand it?

That way, you’re not just helping with accessibility – you’re making your content better for everyone.

Updated on: 22/05/2025