Images & icons
A Clickable Area of an Image Map Has No Text
Each clickable part of an image map needs its own text, or screen reader users hear a vague link with no idea where it goes.
area-altWCAG 2.0Introduced in WCAG 2.0.Level AA — the minimum. Missing it blocks people outright.
- Status
- CriticalCritical — Someone can complete the task only with great difficulty or outside help.CurrentScanners run this rule today.
- Owner
- DevContentTest
- Audit
- Automated+ManualA scanner finds it; a person confirms the fix.
Why it matters
An image map is one picture split into clickable zones, each made with an <area> element. Every zone is a link, so it needs a name that says where it goes.
Without alt text on the <area>, screen readers may read the file name or the web address, or nothing at all. People can't tell one zone from another, so they guess or give up.
Who it affects
| Who | What they experience | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Screen reader users | They hear "link" or a messy web address for each zone, with no idea where each goes. | High impact |
| Voice control users | They can't say "click Victoria" because the zone has no name to match. | High impact |
| Low-vision users (magnification) | Zoomed in, they may see only part of the image, and their screen reader gives no clue. | Partial impact |
| Keyboard-only users | They can still Tab to each zone, but the focus outline may be hard to see on a picture. | Partial impact |
| Cognitive and neurodivergent users | Unlabelled zones make the map harder to understand when the picture alone isn't clear. | Partial impact |
Business & product impact
| Area | Why | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Legal | Links need a clear purpose and a name at WCAG Level A, the minimum. Complaints under Australia's Disability Discrimination Act point to WCAG 2.2 AA, and EN 301 549 in Europe. | High impact |
| Conversion | If a map picks a store, region or product, people who can't use it can't continue. | Moderate impact |
| SEO | Little search benefit. Don't sell it as an SEO fix. | Low impact |
| Brand trust | A broken map on a key page shows that some customers weren't considered. | Moderate impact |
| Cost to fix | Adding `alt` text to each `<area>` takes minutes. Replacing old image maps with real links costs more but lasts longer. | High impact |
Fixing it in code
A clickable region on a map of Australia
Don't
<img src="aus.png" alt="Map of Australian states" usemap="#states">
<map name="states">
<area shape="poly" coords="…" href="/vic">
</map>A screen reader says: “link, vic”
Do
<img src="aus.png" alt="Map of Australian states" usemap="#states">
<map name="states">
<area shape="poly" coords="…" href="/vic" alt="Victoria">
</map>A screen reader says: “Victoria, link”
The alt on each <area> becomes the link's name.
Fixing it in design and content
Write alt text that says where the zone goes
Don't
<area shape="rect" coords="…" href="/contact" alt="Click here">A screen reader says: “Click here, link”
Do
<area shape="rect" coords="…" href="/contact" alt="Contact us">A screen reader says: “Contact us, link”
Each name should make sense when heard alone in a list of links.
Designer's handoff note
Avoid image maps for new designs. Use real buttons or links laid over the image, or a text list beside it.
If you keep a map, give every clickable zone a short label in the design spec, and show a clear focus outline.
Quick test
Tool
NVDA (opens in a new tab) (free for Windows)
Checklist
- Pass
- Each zone reads a clear name, like "Victoria, link".
- Fail
- You hear "link" alone, a file name or a web address.
What a green scan still misses
A scanner can see that alt text exists. It can't tell whether the words match where each zone actually goes.
Reference
- Rule ID
area-alt- Raised by
- axe-core: “Active <area> elements must have alternative text”
- WCAG
- 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (opens in a new tab) · Level A · since WCAG 2.0
- 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (opens in a new tab) · Level A · since WCAG 2.0
- Other standards
- EN 301 549 9.2.4.4 · EN 301 549 9.4.1.2 · RGAA 1.1.2
- Last reviewed
- 14 October 2026