How to bulk add alt text in WordPress

WordPress has no built-in bulk editor for alt text. These are the ways people fill in a large backlog, with the trade-offs of each.

First, count what is missing

In the Media Library, switch to list view. Alt text is not a column there, so you cannot sort by it. A plugin scan, or a database query run by someone comfortable with SQL, gives the number. The AltSweep plugin shows it on the Media screen for free.

Option 1: edit by hand

Open each image, write the alt text, save. Best for a few dozen important images. It does not scale to thousands.

Option 2: a template from titles or filenames

Some plugins copy the image title or the post title into the alt field. It is fast and free. The text is only as good as your titles, and a title like IMG_4021 tells a reader nothing. Use it as a starting point and review it.

Option 3: AI-written descriptions

An AI model looks at the image and writes a description. This gets real descriptions at scale. Quality is good for ordinary photos and weaker for charts, screenshots with text, and anything that needs knowledge of your business. Review before saving.

Option 4: a CSV round trip

Export attachments, fill in alt text in a spreadsheet, import it back. Works if you can write the text yourself or generate it elsewhere. The AltSweep web tool exports a CSV for up to 10 images for free.

Before any bulk change

• Make a backup, or use a tool that stores the original alt text so you can restore it.
• Fill empty fields first. Leave text you wrote yourself alone.
• Skip decorative images. See when alt text should be empty.
• Read a sample of the results before you save the rest.