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You can specify alternative text (alternative text: Used by Web browsers to display text during image downloads for users who have graphics turned off and for users who rely on screen-reading software to convert graphics on the screen to spoken words.) for shapes, pictures, charts, SmartArt graphics, or other objects (object: A table, chart, graphic, equation, or other form of information. Objects created in one application, for example spreadsheets, and linked or embedded in another application are OLE objects.) in your 2007 Microsoft Office system document. If you save your 2007 Microsoft Office system document to an HTML (HTML: The standard markup language used for documents on the World Wide Web. HTML uses tags to indicate how Web browsers should display page elements such as text and graphics and how to respond to user actions.) file format such as .htm or .html, or you use a screen reader, alternative text appears when you move the pointer over a picture. Alternative text helps people with screen readers understand the content of pictures.

This article discusses adding alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, SmartArt graphic, or other object. If you're trying to add text to a picture, see Add text on top of a photo. If you're trying to add a picture to a document, see Insert a picture or clip art. If you're trying to make text go around a picture in a document, see Wrap text.

• Excel

• Outlook

• PowerPoint

• Word

Excel

1. Right-click the shape, picture, chart, border of the SmartArt graphic, or other object (object: A table, chart, graphic, equation, or other form of information. Objects created in one application, for example spreadsheets, and linked or embedded in another application are OLE objects.), and then click Size and Properties.
2. Click the Alt Text tab, and then in the Alternative text box, enter your text.

 Tip   If you frequently add alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, SmartArt graphic, or other object, you can add the Alt text command to the Quick Access Toolbar to create a shortcut (shortcut: An icon that points to a program or file that is stored in another location.) to it. You can find the Alt text command in the Commands Not in the Ribbon category when you add the command to the Quick Access Toolbar. If you access the Alt text command from the Quick Access Toolbar, you still need to click the Alt Text tab to add your alternative text, as in step 2 above.

 Note   The Ribbon is a part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface

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Outlook

1. Right-click the shape, picture, chart, border of the SmartArt graphic, or other object (object: A table, chart, graphic, equation, or other form of information. Objects created in one application, for example spreadsheets, and linked or embedded in another application are OLE objects.), and then click Size.
2. Click the Alt Text tab, and then in the Alternative text box, enter your text.

 Tip   If you frequently add alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, SmartArt graphic, or other object, you can add the Alt text command to the Quick Access Toolbar to create a shortcut (shortcut: An icon that points to a program or file that is stored in another location.) to it. You can find the Alt text command in the Commands Not in the Ribbon category when you add the command to the Quick Access Toolbar. If you access the Alt text command from the Quick Access Toolbar, you still need to click the Alt Text tab to add your alternative text, as in step 2 above.

 Note   The Ribbon is a part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface

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PowerPoint

1. Right-click the shape, picture, chart, border of the SmartArt graphic, or other object (object: A table, chart, graphic, equation, or other form of information. Objects created in one application, for example spreadsheets, and linked or embedded in another application are OLE objects.), and then click Size and Position.
2. Click the Alt Text tab, and then in the Alternative text box, enter your text.

 Tip   If you frequently add alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, SmartArt graphic, or other object, you can add the Alt text command to the Quick Access Toolbar to create a shortcut (shortcut: An icon that points to a program or file that is stored in another location.) to it. You can find the Alt text command in the Commands Not in the Ribbon category when you add the command to the Quick Access Toolbar. If you access the Alt text command from the Quick Access Toolbar, you still need to click the Alt Text tab to add your alternative text, as in step 2 above.

 Note   The Ribbon is a part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface

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Word

1. Right-click the shape, picture, chart, border of the SmartArt graphic, or other object (object: A table, chart, graphic, equation, or other form of information. Objects created in one application, for example spreadsheets, and linked or embedded in another application are OLE objects.), and then click Size.
2. Click the Alt Text tab, and then in the Alternative text box, enter your text.

 Tip   If you frequently add alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, SmartArt graphic, or other object, you can add the Alt text command to the Quick Access Toolbar to create a shortcut (shortcut: An icon that points to a program or file that is stored in another location.) to it. You can find the Alt text command in the Commands Not in the Ribbon category when you add the command to the Quick Access Toolbar. If you access the Alt text command from the Quick Access Toolbar, you still need to click the Alt Text tab to add your alternative text, as in step 2 above.

 Note   The Ribbon is a part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface

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