Photos
When uploading photos, be sure to add alt text by navigating to “Advanced Settings > Accessibility > Write alt text” at the bottom of the menu while you’re editing your post.
We also recommend copying and pasting your image descriptions at the bottom of the main post copy so they can be accessed by everyone – not just those using a screen reader.
Keep in mind that if you schedule a post using third-party software, there is currently no way to add alt text. So be sure to edit the post to add some once it goes live.
Chokes
When creating content for Reels, we’d recommend following our advice in the video accessibility section, including making content with audio or described audio and using subtitles.
You can also make the most of the audio streaming feature, which allows you to add further description to your content.
Remember that the text you overlay on the video is not accessible to screen reader technology, so don’t rely on it to get your message across.
Reels allows you to add auto-generated captions, but always remember to check them before posting.
Stories
There is no way to add alt text to describe images in Stories. One solution we found for this is to overwrite the text in your Story with an image description. It’s up to you whether you show this in your content, otherwise you can hide it behind an image and screen readers will still be able to read it.
Stickers, such as Q&A and Location stickers, are not currently accessible to screen readers. So make sure you write the text that describes them, including the question you’re asking (for example) in your story somewhere.
You will find further information about accessibility on Instagram on the Instagram website.
