Empty alt attribute (`alt=""`)
An empty `alt` attribute (`alt=""`) on an `<img>` element tells assistive technology that the image is purely decorative and should be skipped — distinct from a missing `alt` attribute, which screen readers announce by reading the filename.
Detailed explanation
WCAG 2.0 SC 1.1.1 (Non-text Content) requires every meaningful image to have descriptive alt text and every decorative image to have an empty alt attribute. The distinction matters: missing `alt` (no attribute at all) causes screen readers to announce "image" or read the filename; `alt=""` causes them to skip silently.
Decorative images are images that add no information — background flourishes, spacer GIFs, decorative icons next to a labeled link, ornamental section dividers. If removing the image would not change the meaning of the page for a sighted reader, it is decorative.
How this applies to Shopify stores
Shopify themes often render decorative SVG icons inside labeled buttons without `aria-hidden="true"` or empty alt — screen readers announce both the icon filename and the button label. AccessComply rewrites these patterns to either `aria-hidden="true"` on the SVG or `alt=""` on the `<img>`.
Primary source: w3.org