Title: AI Alt Text Generator
Author: migkapa
Published: February 12, 2024
Last modified: July 28, 2026
---
Search plugins
# AI Alt Text Generator
By [migkapa](https://profiles.wordpress.org/migkapa/)
[Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/ai-alt-text-generator.2.6.1.zip)
* [Details](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ai-alt-text-generator/#description)
* [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ai-alt-text-generator/#reviews)
* [Installation](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ai-alt-text-generator/#installation)
* [Development](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ai-alt-text-generator/#developers)
[Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/ai-alt-text-generator/)
## Description
AI Alt Text Generator writes clear, descriptive alt text for every image on your
WordPress site — improving **accessibility compliance** (WCAG 2.2, ADA, Section
508, and the European Accessibility Act) and **image SEO** at the same time. It
works out of the box: activate the plugin and start generating, **no API key and
no signup required**. Every site gets **50 free images per month** through the built-
in managed credits service.
That makes it a fit for small organizations that need accessible, legally compliant
websites but don’t want to wrangle developer accounts or AI billing — nonprofits,
churches, schools, clinics, and small businesses working toward WCAG / EU Accessibility
Act compliance.
Alt text is required for accessible, legally compliant websites, and it helps search
engines understand your images. But writing it by hand across an entire media library
rarely happens — so this plugin does it for you, in bulk or automatically on upload.
It produces concise, **WCAG-aligned** descriptions (no “image of…” filler, sensible
length) and can fold in the **page context** and your **SEO focus keyphrase** for
sharper, more relevant alt text. It pairs perfectly with accessibility audit tools
that flag missing alt text — this is the plugin that fills the gaps.
**How it works — two ways to generate:**
1. **Managed credits (default, recommended)** — No API key, no signup. The plugin
connects to the AI Alt Text Generator managed service automatically and gives every
site **50 free images per month**. Need more? Affordable paid credit plans are
available. This uses an external, account-based service (see the disclosure below)
and is optional beyond the free tier.
2. **Bring your own API key (advanced)** — Prefer to run on your own OpenAI or Anthropic
account? Add your own API key in the Advanced settings and generation runs at-cost,
directly with your provider, with no per-image fees or vendor lock-in. You choose
the provider and model.
**Key Features:**
– **Works out of the box**: no API key needed — 50 free images
per month on every site – **Accessibility & compliance**: WCAG-aligned output to
support ADA, EAA, and Section 508 requirements – **SEO keyphrase integration**:
automatically weaves in focus keyphrases from Yoast SEO, Rank Math, and SEOPress(
without keyword stuffing) – **Page-context aware**: uses the page/post the image
belongs to for more relevant descriptions – **Bring your own key (optional)**: advanced
users can plug in their own OpenAI or Anthropic key — any vision-capable model,
no lock-in – **Bulk Processing**: generate alt text for your whole library at once,
or automatically on upload – **Custom Prompts**: tailor the AI prompt to your brand
and needs – **Multi-Language Support**: generate alt text in many languages – **
Testing Feature**: preview prompts before applying them to images – **WP-CLI Support**:
bulk-generate from the command line – **Developer-friendly**: extensible via action/
filter hooks for custom integrations and add-ons
**WP-CLI:**
The plugin registers a `wp ai-alt-text` command suite, making it easy
to automate alt text generation across one or many sites.
```
# Bulk-generate alt text for all images missing it (uses managed credits by default)
wp ai-alt-text generate
# Optional: configure your own provider and API key (advanced)
wp ai-alt-text activate --provider=openai --key=sk-xxxxxxxx
# Regenerate alt text for specific attachments
wp ai-alt-text generate --ids=12,34,56 --force
# Preview what would be processed without calling the API
wp ai-alt-text generate --limit=20 --dry-run
# Show current configuration and coverage
wp ai-alt-text status
```
A typical install-and-generate workflow needs no key at all:
```
wp plugin install ai-alt-text-generator --activate
wp ai-alt-text generate --yes
```
**New in Latest Version:**
– Managed credits are now the default: generate alt
text with no API key and no signup — 50 free images per month on every site – Bring-
your-own OpenAI/Anthropic key moved to an “Advanced” option for users who prefer
to run on their own account – WCAG-aligned output, SEO focus-keyphrase integration(
Yoast / Rank Math / SEOPress), and page-context awareness – Optionally set the image
Title, Caption, and Description from the generated alt text – Future-proof model
handling (no hard-coded model versions; configurable defaults)
Important: This plugin uses an external AI service to generate alt text — either
the optional managed-credit service (account-based, free tier plus paid plans) or
your own OpenAI/Anthropic key. See the External Service Usage Disclosure below.
**AI Alt Text Generator Pro (optional upgrade)**
Need automation at scale? The optional Pro add-on builds on this free plugin with:
–
WooCommerce product context for commerce-aware, SEO-rich alt text – Scheduled background
scans that describe new and existing images automatically – A coverage analytics
dashboard to track your progress toward 100% – Automatic updates and priority support
Learn more at https://store.lessbutmore.ai?utm_source=plugin&utm_medium=readme&utm_campaign
=pro — the free plugin remains fully functional on its own.
### External Service Usage Disclosure
This plugin relies on external AI services to generate alt text. In all cases, data(
images and their metadata) is sent to an external service for processing. The plugin
does not store your images or generated alt text on our servers beyond what is needed
to return your result.
**Managed credits service (default)**
By default the plugin uses the AI Alt Text
Generator managed credits service so it works with no API key. On activation, the
plugin automatically connects your site to obtain a free account (50 images per
month) — this registers your site with the external service and requires an account.
Images to be described are sent to this service for processing. Use beyond the free
monthly tier requires a paid credit plan. The service is operated via https://store.
lessbutmore.ai?utm_source=plugin&utm_medium=readme&utm_campaign=disclosure — please
review the site for its terms and privacy policy. You can disable managed credits
in the plugin settings and use your own API key instead.
**Bring-your-own-key providers (optional, advanced)**
If you add your own API key,
images are sent to the provider you select: – **OpenAI**: For more information,
please review the [OpenAI Terms of Use](https://openai.com/terms/) and [Privacy Policy](https://openai.com/privacy/)–**
Anthropic**: For more information, please review the [Anthropic Terms of Service](https://www.anthropic.com/terms)
and [Privacy Policy](https://www.anthropic.com/privacy)
You choose which path to use and are only required to agree to the terms of the
service you actually use.
### Support
For support, feature requests, or bug reports, please contact us through the WordPress
plugin support forum.
## Screenshots
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## Installation
1. Upload the plugin files to the /wp-content/plugins/ai-alt-text-generator directory,
or install the plugin through the WordPress plugins screen directly.
2. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ screen in WordPress.
3. That’s it — the plugin connects to the managed credits service automatically and
you can start generating right away, with **no API key and no signup**. Every site
gets 50 free images per month.
4. Navigate to the ‘Alt Text Generator’ admin page, then use “Generate” on a single
image or bulk-generate across your library.
5. (Optional, advanced) Prefer your own AI account? Open the Advanced settings and
add an API key:
6. * **OpenAI**: Visit https://openai.com and sign up to get your API key
* **Anthropic**: Visit https://console.anthropic.com and sign up to get your API
key
7. Customize your prompt and language settings as needed.
## FAQ
### Do I need an API key to use this plugin?
No. The plugin works out of the box with the built-in managed credits service —
no API key and no signup. Every site gets 50 free images per month. If you’d rather
run on your own AI account, you can optionally add your own OpenAI or Anthropic
API key in the Advanced settings.
### What are managed credits and are they free?
Managed credits let the plugin generate alt text through the AI Alt Text Generator
managed service without you configuring anything. Every site gets **50 free images
per month**. If you need more, affordable paid credit plans are available. This
uses an external, account-based service and is optional beyond the free tier. Learn
more at https://store.lessbutmore.ai?utm_source=plugin&utm_medium=readme&utm_campaign
=managed_credits
### Can I use my own OpenAI or Anthropic API key instead?
Yes. In the Advanced settings you can add your own OpenAI or Anthropic API key and
generate directly on your own account — at cost, with no per-image fees and no vendor
lock-in. You can use any vision-capable model your provider offers; the plugin ships
with a sensible, low-cost default and lets you change the model anytime.
### Is this good for accessibility and legal compliance?
Yes — that’s the point. It produces WCAG-aligned alt text to help you meet WCAG
2.2, ADA, Section 508, and European Accessibility Act (EAA) requirements. It’s a
practical fit for nonprofits, churches, schools, and small businesses that need
accessible websites without a developer on staff.
### Is there a Pro version?
Yes. AI Alt Text Generator Pro is an optional add-on that adds WooCommerce product
context, scheduled background scans that describe images automatically, a coverage
analytics dashboard, automatic updates, and priority support. The free plugin is
fully functional on its own. Learn more at https://store.lessbutmore.ai?utm_source
=plugin&utm_medium=readme&utm_campaign=pro
### How does this plugin use the AI service?
The plugin sends images to the AI service — the managed credits service by default,
or your selected provider’s API if you’ve added your own key — which returns the
generated alt text. This process requires an active internet connection and the
transmission of image data to the service’s servers.
### Can I generate alt text for multiple images at once?
Yes, the AI Alt Text Generator supports bulk processing of images for efficient
workflow, and can also generate automatically on upload.
### Can I use a custom prompt?
Yes, you can customize the prompt used to generate alt text in the plugin settings.
You can also test your prompts before applying them to images.
### Can I use the plugin from the command line (WP-CLI)?
Yes. The plugin registers a `wp ai-alt-text` command suite:
– `wp ai-alt-text generate`
bulk-generates alt text (using managed credits by default). Useful flags: `--limit
=`, `--provider=`, `--force` (regenerate existing), `--ids=12,34` (
specific attachments), `--dry-run` (preview only), and `--yes` (skip confirmation).–`
wp ai-alt-text activate --provider= --key=` optionally
configures your own provider and API key. Add `--skip-validation` to save without
a live API check. – `wp ai-alt-text status` shows the active mode/provider, which
keys are configured, the prompt/language, and alt text coverage counts.
### Is my data secure?
The plugin only sends image data and prompts to the AI service for processing to
produce alt text. Images and generated alt text are not stored on our servers beyond
what is needed to return your result. If you use your own API key, please review
the privacy policies of OpenAI and/or Anthropic. For the managed service, see the
External Service Usage Disclosure below.
## Reviews
### [It works great!](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/it-works-great-256/)
[Ted Slater](https://profiles.wordpress.org/tedslater/) September 30, 2025
The concept is simple … but of course what’s going on behind the scenes is incredibly
complex. This plugin … just works! Amazing. Well done, Migen! You are a rock star.
### [Free and great plugin](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-and-great-plugin-2/)
[og0id](https://profiles.wordpress.org/og0id/) June 12, 2025
Compared to the other plugins this one is free and just what you need.
### [Did what promised](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/did-what-promised/)
[mghanei](https://profiles.wordpress.org/mghanei/) March 17, 2025
generated alts for all the media (200 images) in like 5 Minutes.
### [Excellent Little Plugin](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/excellent-little-plugin-21/)
[zdmdesigns](https://profiles.wordpress.org/zmdesignz/) July 19, 2024
Does what it described with minimal hiccups. The batch generation seems to stall
out a bit, but the on demand generation is great.
### [easy to use](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/easy-to-use-4993/)
[developersthp](https://profiles.wordpress.org/developersthp/) May 10, 2024
helped with creating 100+ image alt text in less than 5 min
[ Read all 5 reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/ai-alt-text-generator/reviews/)
## Contributors & Developers
“AI Alt Text Generator” is open source software. The following people have contributed
to this plugin.
Contributors
* [ migkapa ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/migkapa/)
[Translate “AI Alt Text Generator” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/ai-alt-text-generator)
### Interested in development?
[Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/ai-alt-text-generator/),
check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/ai-alt-text-generator/),
or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/ai-alt-text-generator/)
by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/ai-alt-text-generator/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss).
## Changelog
#### 2.6.1
* **Fixed: bulk generation no longer keeps retrying after your credits run out.**
It used to treat “out of credits” like a single bad image and carry on to the
next one, so a large library produced hundreds of failed attempts in a row while
the progress bar told you nothing. It now stops as soon as it hits an account-
level limit.
* Bulk generation now explains why it stopped — out of credits, account not activated,
or a connection problem — and tells you how many images it finished before stopping.
Everything generated up to that point is saved.
* The same rule applies to the Media Library bulk action running in the background.
#### 2.6.0
* **New: protect alt text you wrote yourself.** Under Bulk Generation, list words
such as “logo” or “sponsor” and any image whose current alt text contains one
of them is left untouched — even with “Process All Images” turned on. Matching
ignores case and works inside longer words, so “logo” also protects “Company
logo”.
* The new rule applies everywhere alt text is saved: bulk runs, single images,
on upload, and WP-CLI.
#### 2.5.5
* **Fixed: the Media Library “Generate Alt Text” bulk action only ever processed
the first selected image.** The background job that handles the rest exited immediately
because the bulk action never flagged a run as started, so the remaining images
were silently dropped.
* **Fixed: bulk generation ignored your selection.** Once the background job did
run, it worked through the whole media library instead of the images you picked.
It now processes exactly the selection.
* **Fixed: bulk runs skipped images.** When generating for “images without alt
text”, the queue shrank as images were processed while the read position kept
advancing, so a large run could silently miss a substantial share of the library.
* Fixed: an image that failed to generate could stall a bulk run instead of being
skipped.
* Bulk generation now applies the Title / Caption / Description settings and add-
on filters, matching single-image generation.
* The Media Library bulk action now reports what happened (started, nothing selected,
or a run already in progress) instead of redirecting silently.
#### 2.5.4
* **Fixed: managed credits now actually generate alt text.** A result-format mismatch
caused managed-mode generation to fail on every path (bulk, single, upload, WP-
CLI). This was the root cause behind “nothing happens” reports in managed mode.
* **Works out of the box**: new installs connect to managed credits automatically
and get 50 free images per month — no API key, no signup, no email required.
* Bulk Generate now works in managed-credit mode (the Start button no longer requires
an API key).
* Clear, actionable errors when credits run out, an account needs attention, or
the service is unreachable — instead of silent failures.
* New: alt-text coverage dashboard widget showing how many images still need alt
text.
* Low-credit warning in settings so you know before you run out.
* Already have a paid plan? Paste your API token from your dashboard to connect
this site.
* Accessibility framing updated for WCAG 1.1.1 and the European Accessibility Act.
#### 2.5.3
* Settings: managed credits (no API key needed) is now the recommended option,
shown first; using your own API key is presented as an “Advanced” option below
#### 2.5.2
* Fix: the “Upgrade to Pro” panel now renders inside the settings screen so it’s
always fully visible (the previous admin-notice version could be covered by the
settings header)
#### 2.5.1
* New: optional **managed credits** mode — generate alt text with no API key needed(
free monthly images via the AI Alt Text Generator service). Bring-your-own-key
remains fully supported and free.
* Future-proofed model handling: no hard-coded model versions; the default model
is filterable (aatg_default_model), and the deprecated GPT-4 Vision Preview was
removed.
* Connect and manage a managed-credits account from the General settings tab.
#### 2.5.0
* New: optionally also set the image Title, Caption, and Description from the generated
alt text (toggles on the settings page)
* Expanded language support from 13 to ~48 languages
* Settings UI refinements
#### 2.4.1
* Fix: the “Upgrade to Pro” notice on the settings page is now fully visible (moved
to the standard admin notice area)
#### 2.4.0
* WCAG-aligned alt text by default: concise, purpose-driven output with no “image
of” filler and a sensible length, better for screen readers and SEO
* SEO focus-keyphrase integration: automatically incorporates the keyphrase from
Yoast SEO, Rank Math, and SEOPress (filterable; no keyword stuffing)
* Page-context awareness: uses the title of the page/post an image belongs to for
more relevant descriptions
* Higher-quality, lower-cost image sampling: sends an appropriately sized image
instead of a tiny thumbnail or the full-size original
* Refreshed accessibility-first positioning (WCAG 2.2 / ADA / EAA)
#### 2.3.2
* Introduced an optional Pro upgrade: WooCommerce product context, scheduled background
scans, and a coverage analytics dashboard (https://store.lessbutmore.ai)
* Added contextual Pro information on the plugin’s own settings page (shown only
there; hidden when Pro is active)
#### 2.3.1
* Updated the plugin homepage link
* Corrected the stable tag so the 2.3.x release is delivered to all sites
#### 2.3.0
* Added developer extensibility hooks so companion add-ons can extend alt text
generation without modifying the plugin
* New filters: aatg_providers, aatg_generate_provider, aatg_generate_prompt, aatg_generate_language,
aatg_pre_generate_alt_text, aatg_generate_result, and aatg_alt_text
* New action: aatg_after_generate (fires after alt text is generated and saved)
* Introduced a shared aatg_save_generated_alt_text() helper used across the single,
bulk, on-upload, REST, and WP-CLI paths
* No changes to existing behavior; tested up to WordPress 6.9
#### 2.2.0
* Added WP-CLI support: `wp ai-alt-text activate`, `wp ai-alt-text generate`, and`
wp ai-alt-text status`
* Bulk-generate alt text from the command line across many sites
* `activate` configures the AI provider and API key (with optional live key validation)
* `generate` supports –limit, –provider override, –force, –ids, –dry-run, and –
yes flags
* `status` reports the active provider, configured keys (masked), prompt/language,
and alt text coverage counts
* WordPress 6.8.1 compatibility maintained
#### 2.1.2
* Removed debug logging statements for production release
* Cleaned up error_log calls throughout the codebase
* Improved performance by removing unnecessary logging overhead
#### 2.1.1
* Restored language settings in admin interface
* Updated support information for WordPress Plugin Directory
* Fixed UI elements for better user experience
* Minor bug fixes and improvements
#### 2.1
* Enhanced multi-provider support with OpenAI and Anthropic
* Improved provider factory architecture
* Better API key validation and error handling
* Enhanced testing capabilities
* WordPress 6.8.1 compatibility
* Optimized performance and reliability
#### 2.0.71
* Added support for Anthropic (Claude) AI provider
* Implemented multi-provider architecture with provider factory system
* Enhanced settings with provider selection and individual API key management
* Added comprehensive testing functionality for prompts
* Improved error handling and user feedback
* Better backward compatibility with existing OpenAI configurations
* Enhanced bulk processing capabilities
* Added provider-specific help links and documentation
#### 2.0.7
* Version adjustment
#### 2.0.6
* Fixed single image generation while classic editor is active
#### 2.0.5
* Added testing prompt to the plugin settings
* Improved error handling and feedback
* Fixed image processing in local environments
* Improved bulk processing
#### 2.0.4
* Fixed admin page rendering issue
#### 2.0.3
* Switched to GPT-4o-mini for cheaper and faster experience
#### 2.0.2
* Fixed grid view not showing “Generate Alt Text” button
#### 2.0.1
* Added the new GPT-4o model for 50% cheaper and faster experience
* Added custom prompt functionality
* Added option to choose language
#### 1.0.0
* Initial release
## Meta
* Version **2.6.1**
* Last updated **5 hours ago**
* Active installations **1,000+**
* WordPress version ** 4.6 or higher **
* Tested up to **6.9.5**
* PHP version ** 7.0 or higher **
* Tags
* [accessibility](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/accessibility/)[Alt Text](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/alt-text/)
[image alt text](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/image-alt-text/)[image seo](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/image-seo/)
[wcag](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/wcag/)
* [Advanced View](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ai-alt-text-generator/advanced/)
## Ratings
4.8 out of 5 stars.
* [ 4 5-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/ai-alt-text-generator/reviews/?filter=5)
* [ 1 4-star review ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/ai-alt-text-generator/reviews/?filter=4)
* [ 0 3-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/ai-alt-text-generator/reviews/?filter=3)
* [ 0 2-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/ai-alt-text-generator/reviews/?filter=2)
* [ 0 1-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/ai-alt-text-generator/reviews/?filter=1)
[Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/ai-alt-text-generator/reviews/#new-post)
[See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/ai-alt-text-generator/reviews/)
## Contributors
* [ migkapa ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/migkapa/)
## Support
Issues resolved in last two months:
2 out of 2
[View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/ai-alt-text-generator/)