Images with Text
Meaningful text baked into an image's pixels is invisible to VoiceOver and must be provided as real text or an accessible label instead.
Maps to: WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content | Applies to: WCAG 2.0, WCAG 2.1, WCAG 2.2 Introduced in: WCAG 2.0 | Level: A | Read the official specification →
What this rule checks
The scanner detects images whose pixels contain rendered text that exists nowhere else on the screen as real text — text content embedded inside an image that isn't readable by assistive technology.
Why it matters
A screen reader can only speak what the accessibility tree contains. Text baked into a banner, promotion image, or screenshot is invisible to VoiceOver, and it does not scale with Dynamic Type, does not reflow, and cannot be selected or translated. The information exists solely for sighted users.
Common failure patterns
- marketing banners exported from design tools with headline text flattened into the bitmap
- screenshots or diagrams containing instructions
- stylized text rendered as an image to preserve a custom font
Remediation guidance
- avoid embedding meaningful text inside images — use real text views with an
accessibilityLabelset so VoiceOver can read the content - if the image is decorative, mark it as such so screen readers skip it
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