Mark Decorative Images - Squarespace

Mark Decorative Images in Squarespace

1. Open your Squarespace site and navigate to the page containing decorative images, then click Edit to enter editing mode.
2. Select a decorative image:
   • Hover over the image block.
   • Click Edit to open the Image Block editor.
3. Open the Content tab in the Image Block editor.
4. Locate the Alt Text field and leave it completely blank.
   • Squarespace treats empty alt text as a signal that the image is decorative and should be ignored by assistive technologies.
5. Verify the image is truly decorative:
   • Keep it unlabeled if it adds aesthetic value only (patterns, textures, accents).
   • If the image conveys meaning (product photos, illustrations, icons with purpose), add descriptive alt text instead.
6. For gallery blocks:
   • Click the gallery → Edit → Manage Images.
   • Select each decorative image and remove any text from the Alt Text field.
7. For background images:
   • Select the section → Background.
   • Background images cannot receive alt text and are considered decorative by default.
   • If the background image contains meaningful content, add equivalent text inside the section.
8. Repeat the process for all decorative images throughout the page to ensure none contain unnecessary alt text.
9. Switch to Mobile preview and check any mobile-only images. Remove alt text from those that are decorative using the same steps.
10. Click Preview to verify that decorative images remain visually intact but are not labeled or announced by assistive tools.
11. Save and publish your changes, then use your browser’s accessibility inspector to confirm decorative images appear with empty alt attributes (alt="").