Social Media

Instagram

Image Descriptions (Alt-Text)

Alt-text provides people using assistive technologies with a clear description of images you post. For tips on writing effective alt-text, see the Images page.

Instagram automatically generates alt-text on images, but it may not do a good job and there is no easy way to check the automated alt-text. Write your own alt-text to ensures that it is accurate and descriptive.

How to Add Alt-Text Before Sharing:

Take or upload your photo, edit/add filter, and select "Next"
Select “Advanced Settings” at the bottom of the screen
Select “Write Alt Text”
Write your alt text in the box and select “Done”

How to Edit Alt-Text After Sharing:

Above your photo or video, select the three dots (. . .) for more options
Select "Edit"
Select "Accessibility"
Write your alt text in the box and select "Done"

Captions

Captions present video audio in a text format timed with the action on screen. They capture speech, singing, and essential sounds, like [doorbell], [laughter], [applause], etc. Captions are beneficial to individuals who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing, as well as new language learners, people with certain cognitive disabilities, and people who do not have access to audio.

Instagram uses speech recognition technology to automatically create captions. However, this feature is only available on the mobile app, not when using the desktop app.

How to Add Captions to Stories and Reels:

As a Story or Reel, record or upload a video from your phone
Select the sticker option and choose “Captions”
Preview the story or reel to see the audio’s auto-generated text before sharing
Before sharing, select Advanced Settings.
Scroll to Accessibility and select on next to Show Captions to turn captions on.

How To Manage Captions After Sharing:

Select More Actions at the bottom of the video.
Select Advanced settings.
Switch on or switch off next to Show captions to turn them on or off.

Hashtags

Capitalize the first letter of each word in a hashtag so that assistive technologies dictate the hashtag as its intended to be read instead as one long word. Capitalization also reduces confusion for anyone living with a cognitive disability that affects reading. #OpportunityHub

Emojis

Although emojis have descriptive alt text attached that most assistive technologies will dictate, the impact can be very different from intended. (Play the video at right for an example of how emojis are read by screen readers).

To minimize misunderstanding and burden, use emojis sparingly following these guidelines:

Don't use emojis as a replacement for words

The alt text (usually the name of the emoji, or a short, literal description of the image) may differ from what you mean, making it hard to understand your text. For example, the sentence, "Let's 🎉 our new 〽️🎓 with some 🍜" will be read as, "Let's party popper our new part alternation mark graduation cap with some steaming bowl."

Place emojis at the end of messages

Emojis are best placed at the end of your message, social caption, or sentence.
When emojis are placed within a string of text, screen readers expresses the emoji’s alt text right where it appears, so it disrupts the flow.
Don't use emojis in place of bullet points. People using screen readers won't know that they are standing in for bullets, so they will simply add unnecessary and possibly confusing words to the beginnings of your sentences.

Use just a few and avoid long emoji strings

While emojis are a quick shortcut that sighted people understand in a matter of seconds, screen readers express emoji with words, which can result in a much slower and repetitive experience.
Some screen readers will count or shorten an unbroken string of repeated emoji (for example, "Three party popper" for 🎉🎉🎉) but often every single emoji is read out

...coming soon...

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