European Accessibility Act 2025: WordPress Image Compliance Guide

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) came into effect on June 28, 2025. If your WordPress site serves customers in the EU and your images lack proper alt text, you could face significant fines. This guide explains what you need to know and how to achieve compliance quickly.

What is the European Accessibility Act?

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is EU legislation requiring digital products and services to be accessible to people with disabilities. It affects approximately 100 million EU residents with disabilities and applies to:

• E-commerce websites selling products or services to EU customers
• Banking and financial services websites
• Media and streaming services
• Transportation booking websites
• Any website providing services to EU consumers

Does the EAA Apply to US-Based Businesses?

Yes. The EAA applies to any business serving EU customers, regardless of where the business is located. If you:

• Sell products or services to customers in EU countries
• Have significant traffic from EU visitors
• Accept payments in Euros
• Ship products to EU addresses

Then the EAA applies to your website. This is similar to how GDPR applies to any business handling EU customer data, not just EU-based companies.

What Are the Image Requirements?

The EAA aligns with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. For images, this means:

1. All Informational Images Need Alt Text

Every image that conveys information must have descriptive alternative text. This includes:

• Product photos
• Blog post images
• Infographics and charts
• Screenshots
• Team photos
• Any image a user needs to understand the content

2. Alt Text Must Be Descriptive

Generic alt text like "image" or "photo" doesn't meet compliance. Alt text should:

• Describe the image content accurately
• Be concise (80-125 characters recommended)
• Provide context relevant to the page
• Not start with "image of" or "picture of"

Learn more about writing effective alt text in our alt text SEO best practices guide.

3. Decorative Images Need Empty Alt

Purely decorative images (backgrounds, spacers, design elements) should have empty alt attributes: alt="". This tells screen readers to skip them.

4. Complex Images Need Extended Descriptions

Infographics, charts, and complex diagrams may need additional text descriptions beyond the alt attribute. Consider providing:

• A detailed caption below the image
• A data table for charts and graphs
• A linked text description for complex infographics

Penalties for Non-Compliance

EAA enforcement varies by EU member state, but penalties can include:

Beyond legal penalties, non-accessible websites also face:

• Lost customers: 100+ million EU residents with disabilities
• Reputation damage: Accessibility complaints are public record
• SEO penalties: Google considers accessibility in rankings

How to Audit Your WordPress Images

Before fixing compliance issues, you need to know where you stand. Here's how to audit your WordPress site:

Step 1: Check Your Media Library

1. Go to Media → Library in WordPress
2. Switch to List View
3. Click on random images and check the "Alternative Text" field
4. Note how many images are missing alt text

Step 2: Use an Accessibility Scanner

Free tools to scan your site for accessibility issues:

• WAVE: wave.webaim.org - Free browser extension
• axe DevTools: Browser extension for detailed audits
• Lighthouse: Built into Chrome DevTools

Step 3: Prioritize High-Traffic Pages

Focus first on:

• Homepage
• Product pages (especially for e-commerce)
• Top 10 most-visited pages (check Google Analytics)
• Checkout and account pages

Fixing Image Accessibility at Scale

If you have hundreds or thousands of images without alt text, manual fixes aren't practical. Here are your options:

Option 1: Manual Updates (Small Sites)

For sites with fewer than 50 images, manual updates may be feasible. Go through each image in your media library and add descriptive alt text. Budget 1-2 minutes per image.

Option 2: Filename-Based Generation

Some plugins generate alt text from image filenames. This only works if your files are named descriptively (e.g., "red-running-shoes.jpg" not "IMG_4829.jpg"). Quality is inconsistent.

Option 3: AI-Powered Alt Text (Recommended)

AI tools can analyze images and generate accurate, descriptive alt text automatically. This is the only practical solution for sites with hundreds or thousands of images.

Learn how to bulk add alt text to WordPress images using AI automation.

WordPress Accessibility Checklist for Images

Use this checklist to ensure your WordPress site meets EAA/WCAG image requirements:

1. Every informational image has alt text

   No missing alt attributes on meaningful images

2. Alt text is descriptive and accurate

   Describes what the image shows, not just generic labels

3. Alt text is 80-125 characters

   Concise but complete descriptions

4. Decorative images have empty alt

   Use alt="" for design elements

5. Complex images have extended descriptions

   Charts, infographics have text alternatives

6. Images don't rely solely on color

   Information is conveyed through other means too

7. Images have sufficient contrast

   Text in images meets 4.5:1 contrast ratio

8. Images are optimized for performance

   Fast loading improves accessibility for all users

Maintaining Compliance Long-Term

Achieving compliance once isn't enough. You need processes to maintain it:

Automate New Uploads

Configure your WordPress site to automatically generate alt text for new image uploads. This prevents compliance drift as you add content.

Regular Audits

Schedule quarterly accessibility audits using tools like WAVE or axe. Catch issues before they become compliance violations.

Train Content Creators

Ensure everyone who uploads images to your site understands alt text requirements. Create guidelines for your team.

Document Your Accessibility Statement

The EAA requires publishing an accessibility statement on your website. Include:

• Your commitment to accessibility
• The standard you follow (WCAG 2.1 AA)
• Known accessibility issues and remediation timeline
• Contact information for accessibility feedback

Common Questions

Are micro-enterprises exempt from the EAA?

Yes, businesses with fewer than 10 employees AND annual turnover under 2 million EUR are exempt from EAA requirements. However, this exemption is narrow, and ADA requirements may still apply if you serve US customers.

What if my site was built before June 2025?

Existing websites that receive updates (new content, plugin updates, etc.) must comply. Since WordPress sites receive regular updates, this exemption rarely applies. Sites that haven't been updated since before June 2025 may be exempt, but this is unusual for active businesses.

Can AI-generated alt text meet compliance requirements?

Yes, as long as the alt text is accurate and descriptive. The EAA doesn't specify how alt text must be created - only that it must exist and be meaningful. AI-generated alt text that accurately describes images meets the requirement.

What about images in PDFs and documents?

The EAA also applies to downloadable documents. PDFs, Word documents, and other files with images need alt text too. Consider this when creating downloadable content.

How do I handle user-uploaded images?

For sites with user-generated content (forums, marketplaces), implement:

• Required alt text fields in upload forms
• Automated alt text generation as fallback
• Moderation processes for accessibility

Take Action Now

The EAA deadline has passed. If your WordPress site serves EU customers and lacks proper image accessibility, you're at risk. Here's your action plan:

1. Audit your current state

   Use WAVE or Lighthouse to identify missing alt text

2. Fix high-priority pages first

   Homepage, product pages, checkout flow

3. Implement automated alt text

   Use AI to automate alt text generation at scale

4. Optimize images for performance

   Convert to WebP/AVIF for faster loading

5. Publish an accessibility statement

   Document your compliance efforts

6. Set up ongoing monitoring

   Prevent compliance drift with automated processes