Automating Alt Text Application for Images in Word

Hi @Julian Melissa, 

Thank you for providing the updated details. We appreciate the extra context you’ve shared regarding your workflow. 

Based on your description, you are encountering difficulties running your script that reads PNG file names from Excel column A and uses the descriptions in column B to populate Alt Text in a Word document, with an additional error about not finding the spreadsheet despite the correct path and naming.  

Below are some workarounds that suit your situation: 

I created a sample Word document with two sample PNG pictures (warning.png and house/png), which were downloaded from the internet. 

For the subscription in the Excel sheet, I use the same two columns as you're doing in your file: file name in column A and alt_text in column B. 

Now in the Word document, press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor or open it via the Developer tab > Visual Basic. Then press Insert > Module and paste this VBA script into it: 

Sub ApplyAltTextFromExcel()  
    Dim xlApp As Object  
    Dim xlWB As Object  
    Dim xlSheet As Object  
    Dim dict As Object  
    Dim lastRow As Long  
    Dim i As Long  
      
    Set dict = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")  
      
    'OPEN EXCEL FILE  
    Set xlApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application")  
    xlApp.Visible = False  
      
    'ADD YOUR EXCEL FILE PATH HERE  
    Set xlWB = xlApp.Workbooks.Open("C:\Users\Windows\Desktop\pngname.xlsx")  
    Set xlSheet = xlWB.Sheets(1)  
      
    'READ COLUMN A + B  
    lastRow = xlSheet.Cells(xlSheet.Rows.Count, 1).End(-4162).Row  
      
    For i = 2 To lastRow  'need to skip header row so start from i=2  
        If xlSheet.Cells(i, 1).Value <> "" Then  
            dict(Trim(CStr(xlSheet.Cells(i, 1).Value))) = Trim(CStr(xlSheet.Cells(i, 2).Value))  
        End If  
    Next i  
      
    'CLOSE EXCEL FILE  
    xlWB.Close False  
    xlApp.Quit  
    Set xlApp = Nothing  
      
    'LOOP THROUGH INLINE SHAPES  
    Dim ils As InlineShape  
    Dim fileName As String  
    Dim rID As String  
    Dim part As Object  
      
    For Each ils In ActiveDocument.InlineShapes  
        If ils.Type = wdInlineShapePicture Or ils.Type = wdInlineShapeLinkedPicture Then  
            On Error Resume Next  
              
            rID = ils.Range.InlineShapes(1).LinkFormat.SourceFullName  
            If rID = "" Then  
                rID = ils.LinkFormat.SourceFullName  
            End If  
              
            If rID <> "" Then  
                fileName = Mid(rID, InStrRev(rID, "") + 1)  
                  
                If dict.Exists(fileName) Then  
                    ils.AlternativeText = dict(fileName)  
                End If  
            End If  
              
            On Error GoTo 0  
        End If  
    Next ils  
      
      
    Dim shp As Shape  
    For Each shp In ActiveDocument.Shapes  
        If shp.Type = msoPicture Then  
            On Error Resume Next  
            fileName = Mid(shp.LinkFormat.SourceFullName, InStrRev(shp.LinkFormat.SourceFullName, "") + 1  
            If dict.Exists(fileName) Then  
                shp.AlternativeText = dict(fileName)  
            End If  
            On Error GoTo 0  
        End If  
    Next shp    
    MsgBox "Import successfully"  
End Sub

Remember to add the correct path of the Excel file into the script. You can copy the right path in File Explorer > right-click the Excel file > Copy as path.  

Then close the VBA editor. To run the VBA script, press Alt+F8 then select the ApplyAltTextFromExcel > Run.  

Now all the two PNGs will be added with their corresponding descriptions in alt text. 

I hope the information provided proves useful. Please proceed with the outlined steps and let me know whether they resolve the issue. If not, I’ll be glad to continue working with you to find a solution. 

Thank you for your kindness and cooperation throughout this process. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out at any time. 

I look forward to your thoughts on this. 

I've been trying to run a script that picks up the PNG file name from column A in an Excel spreadsheet and the corresponding description from column B. The goal is to use the description in column B to automatically populate the Alt Text in a Word document. However, I can't seem to get it to work. Do you have any ideas on what I might be doing wrong? it also keeps saying it is not finding the spreadsheet even through my path is correct and everything is named correctly.

Hi @Julian Melissa, 

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.  

Thank you for sharing your scenario. I understand how time-consuming it can be to manually add alt text to a large number of images across multiple Word documents, especially when accessibility compliance is a priority. 

Microsoft Word includes built-in options like automatic alt text generation and an accessibility checker, but it does not currently support bulk mapping from external data sources, advanced automation would require custom scripts or third-party tools. Microsoft Word supports adding alternative text to images, shapes, charts, and other objects through its scripting capabilities and Microsoft 365 integration. Add alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, SmartArt graphic, or other object - Microsoft Supp… 

To set up an automated solution, you can follow these steps: 

1. Enable the Developer Tab in Word to access Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). 
2. Use the InlineShape.AlternativeText property to assign alt text to images.  

For your reference:

• InlineShape.AlternativeText property (Word) | Microsoft Learn 
• InlineShape object (Word) | Microsoft Learn 

3. Create a VBA script that:  

• Loops through each image in the document. 
• Pulls corresponding alt text from an external data source (e.g., CSV or Excel). 
• Applies the alt text using the .AlternativeText property. 

4. Test the script on a single document before applying it across multiple files. 

This approach allows you to automate alt text while keeping flexibility in how your data is structured. 

If your organization uses Microsoft 365, you can also explore Office Scripts or Power Automate for broader scalability across documents stored in OneDrive or SharePoint. Power Automate can help trigger workflows and combine data sources for advanced automation scenarios. For more details, visit the Microsoft Power Platform Community Forum. 

This is a specific channel related to Power Automate. You'll get the most qualified group of respondents, and other partners who read the forums regularly can share their knowledge or learn from your interaction.   

Apologies for redirecting you to a different community as the members of the posted category focus on users with Microsoft 365 concern and have limited knowledge about Power Automate, so to get a quick and better assistance, let me redirect you in the correct way.    

For detailed guidance, you can review Microsoft documentation on the Office JavaScript API for Word:  

• Word add-ins documentation - Office Add-ins | Microsoft Learn 
• Word JavaScript API overview - Office Add-ins | Microsoft Learn 

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.   

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.    

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments of this post so I can continue to support you. 

I look forward to continuing the conversation.

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