ImageToSVG

How to Make SVG Accessible — ARIA, title and desc Guide

Accessible SVG uses title, desc, and ARIA attributes so screen readers can describe icons and illustrations to visually impaired users.

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Accessible SVG: title and desc Elements

Add `<title>` (short accessible name) and `<desc>` (longer description) as the first children of `<svg>`. Reference them with `aria-labelledby` pointing to both IDs for maximum screen reader compatibility.

  • <title id='t1'>Shopping cart icon</title>
  • <desc id='d1'>A shopping cart with 3 items</desc>
  • On <svg>: role='img' aria-labelledby='t1 d1'

Decorative SVG: Hiding from Screen Readers

Decorative icons that add no information should be hidden from screen readers. Add `aria-hidden='true'` to the `<svg>` element. This tells assistive technology to skip the SVG entirely.

  • Decorative: <svg aria-hidden='true' focusable='false'>
  • Informative: <svg role='img' aria-labelledby='title-id'>
  • Interactive: <svg role='img'> with keyboard focus management

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make an SVG icon accessible?

Add role='img' and aria-label='Description of icon' to the <svg> tag. Or use <title> inside SVG with aria-labelledby referencing the title element id.

Should decorative SVG icons have alt text?

No — add aria-hidden='true' to decorative SVG. Screen readers should skip icons that have adjacent text labels or convey no additional meaning.

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