Manually generate alt text for product images in SmartAlt by opening the Generate Alt Text screen, selecting images, and running Generate Alt Text.

<h2 data-pm-slice="1 3 []" id="isPasted">Overview</h2>If you want to update product image alt text manually in SmartAlt, use the Generate Alt Text screen inside the app. This lets you choose all listed images or only specific ones, then generate alt text in bulk.In Shopify admin, open Apps &#x2192; SmartAlt - AI Alt Text &#x2192; Generate Alt Text.<h2 id="generate-alt-text-from-the-app-menu">Generate alt text from the app menu</h2>1. Open Generate Alt Text -&#xA0;In the left navigation, go to Apps &#x2192; SmartAlt - AI Alt Text and click Generate Alt Text. You&#x2019;ll land on a page titled Generate Alt Text showing your store media in a list.2. Review the media list -&#xA0;On the Generate Alt Text page, each row shows an image thumbnail and its Current Alt Text. Use the View button on the right if you want to inspect an individual item before generating new text.<img src="https://attachments.gorgias.help/1QNmd2YL9kd69XA0/hc/JWjXVxG3bYBxDvMq/2026070909-bdbed7ac-829e-4251-a228-ba1acc92187b-4dd324b9-6b77-45bb-9371-65a7c2ee7366.png" alt="SmartAlt Generate Alt Text screen showing the All Store Media list, selection checkboxes, Current Alt Text column, and Generate Alt Text button" class="fr-fic fr-dii">3. Select the images to update -&#xA0;Tick the checkbox beside each image you want to update.<ul><li>To update individual items, tick only those rows.</li><li>To update everything currently listed, use the top checkbox to select all visible rows.</li><li>If SmartAlt shows the link Select all images across all pages, click it to include the full result set instead of only the current page.</li></ul>4. Run Generate Alt Text -&#xA0;After making your selection, click Generate Alt Text in the top-right corner. The button label may show the number of selected images, such as Generate Alt Text for 1 Image.5. Check the updated alt text -&#xA0;When generation finishes, review the list again to confirm the Current Alt Text has been updated for the selected images. You can use View on any row to inspect individual results.<h2 id="what-to-expect-on-this-screen">What to expect on this screen</h2><ul><li>All Store Media shows the images SmartAlt can process.</li><li>Add filter + helps narrow the list before you select images. From this menu you can select images without an existing alt tag.</li><li>Current Alt Text shows the existing or newly generated alt text for each image.</li><li>View opens the item so you can review it more closely.</li></ul><hr>TIPIf you only want to update a small set of products, select individual rows instead of running generation for the full list.<hr><h2 id="when-to-use-this-method">When to use this method</h2>This manual workflow is useful when you want to:<ul><li>update alt text for a specific group of images,</li><li>review existing alt text before regenerating it,</li><li>run alt text generation on demand instead of relying on automation.</li></ul>

Generate alt text manually

Learn how to turn on SmartAlt automation from Settings so missing alt text is generated automatically for all images, new products, or collection changes.

<h2 data-pm-slice="1 1 []" id="isPasted">Overview</h2>SmartAlt can generate missing alt text automatically in the background. You can turn automation on from the Settings screen and choose when SmartAlt should run.In Shopify admin, open Apps &#x2192; SmartAlt - AI Alt Text &#x2192; Settings.<hr>INFOUse automation when you want SmartAlt to handle missing alt text without starting a manual run from the Generate Alt Text screen.<hr><h2 id="turn-on-automation">Turn on automation</h2>1. Open SmartAlt Settings -&#xA0;In Shopify admin, go to Apps &#x2192; SmartAlt - AI Alt Text, then click Settings in the left navigation. On the Settings page, find the Automation section.2. Choose when SmartAlt should run -&#xA0;In Automation, select one of these options:<ul><li>Full auto mode (processes all images with missing alt text) &#x2014; scans your store and generates alt text for images that do not already have alt text.</li><li>Creating a Product &#x2014; generates alt text when you create a new product.</li><li>Creating / Updating a Collection &#x2014; generates alt text when you create or update a collection.</li></ul>3. Save your changes -&#xA0;After selecting the options you want, click Save at the top of the page. Your automation preferences will be applied after saving.<img src="https://attachments.gorgias.help/1QNmd2YL9kd69XA0/hc/JWjXVxG3bYBxDvMq/2026070909-35dbe8c1-7791-41f4-a165-22ad171ec959-1b22ff7f-46d6-4db6-a77e-bcb3a7402fb8.png" alt="SmartAlt Settings page showing the Automation section with Full auto mode, Creating a Product, and Creating / Updating a Collection options" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><h2 id="what-each-automation-option-does">What each automation option does</h2><h3 id="full-auto-mode">Full auto mode</h3>Choose Full auto mode (processes all images with missing alt text) if you want SmartAlt to work through your store&#x2019;s existing images that are still missing alt text.<h3 id="creating-a-product">Creating a Product</h3>Choose Creating a Product if you want alt text generated as part of your new product workflow.<h3 id="creating--updating-a-collection">Creating / Updating a Collection</h3>Choose Creating / Updating a Collection if you want SmartAlt to run when a product is added to a collection. Alt text will be generated at a product level as long as the product images do not already have alt text.<h2 id="how-automation-fits-with-manual-generation">How automation fits with manual generation</h2>Automation handles generation for the events you enable in Settings. If you ever want to run alt text generation yourself, you can still use Generate Alt Text from the SmartAlt menu to review media and start a manual run.

Generate alt text automatically

Use SmartAlt Settings to include product details in generated alt text. Choose vendor name, product title, and specific metafields under Alt Text preferences.

<h2 data-pm-slice="1 3 []" id="isPasted">Overview</h2>SmartAlt can include product information in the alt text it generates for product images. From the Settings screen, you can choose whether SmartAlt should use the vendor name, the product title, and any specific metafields associated with the product.This is useful when you want alt text to reflect the product data already stored in Shopify, instead of relying only on the image itself.<img src="https://attachments.gorgias.help/1QNmd2YL9kd69XA0/hc/JWjXVxG3bYBxDvMq/2026070909-a15453f3-edf7-4100-bacf-c55bd7fd64f7-e3c812ce-034b-4a7a-a9be-0177c41f03b9.png" alt="SmartAlt Settings showing the Alt Text preferences section with Include vendor name, Include product title, and Specific metafields options" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><h2 id="where-to-find-these-settings">Where to find these settings</h2>In your Shopify admin, open Apps &#x2192; SmartAlt - AI Alt Text, then click Settings in the left-hand navigation. On the Settings page, scroll to the Alt Text preferences section.In this section, SmartAlt shows these options:<ul><li>Include vendor name</li><li>Include product title</li><li>Specific metafields</li></ul><h2 id="choose-what-smartalt-should-include">Choose what SmartAlt should include</h2>1. Open Settings -&#xA0;Go to Apps &#x2192; SmartAlt - AI Alt Text &#x2192; Settings.2. Find Alt Text preferences -&#xA0;Scroll to the Alt Text preferences section.3. Select the product details to use -&#xA0;Tick any of the following checkboxes, depending on what you want included in generated alt text:<ul><li>Include vendor name</li><li>Include product title</li><li>Specific metafields</li></ul>4. Save your changes -&#xA0;Click Save at the top of the page to apply the new preference.<h2 id="what-each-option-does">What each option does</h2><h3 id="include-vendor-name">Include vendor name</h3>When Include vendor name is selected, SmartAlt can use the product&apos;s vendor as part of the generated alt text. This is helpful if the brand or maker is important context for your catalog.<h3 id="include-product-title">Include product title</h3>When Include product title is selected, SmartAlt can pull wording from the product title into the generated alt text. This can help keep alt text aligned with how products are named in your store.<h3 id="specific-metafields">Specific metafields</h3>When Specific metafields is selected, SmartAlt can use content from selected product metafields as part of generation. This is useful when important descriptive details are stored in metafields rather than in the title.<hr>INFOIf you want SmartAlt to include custom product attributes such as material, style, finish, or other catalog-specific details, Specific metafields is the best option.<hr><h2 id="using-multiple-options-together">Using multiple options together</h2>You can select more than one option in Alt Text preferences. For example, SmartAlt can use both the product title and the vendor name, or combine those with Specific metafields.This gives you more control over how much product context is included in generated alt text.<h2 id="best-practices">Best practices</h2><ul><li>Use Include product title if your product titles are clear and descriptive.</li><li>Use Include vendor name when brand information matters to shoppers.</li><li>Use Specific metafields for product details that are not consistently included in titles.</li><li>Review your Alt text character limit if you enable several options at once.</li></ul><h2 id="frequently-asked-questions">Frequently asked questions</h2>Q. Can I choose more than one option?A. Yes. In Alt Text preferences, you can select any combination of Include vendor name, Include product title, and Specific metafields.<hr>Q. Do I need to save after changing Alt Text preferences?A. Yes. After updating the checkboxes in Alt Text preferences, click Save at the top of the Settings page.<hr>Q. Why don&apos;t I see metafields available?A. If SmartAlt shows No metafield definitions found, your Shopify product metafield definitions may not be set up yet. Create them in Shopify first, then return to SmartAlt.

Include product details in alt text

Change the length of generated alt text in SmartAlt by updating the Alt text character limit in Settings. Choose any value from 100 to 256 characters; the default is 125.

<h2 data-pm-slice="1 2 []" id="isPasted">Overview</h2>SmartAlt lets you control how long generated alt text can be. If you want shorter or longer descriptions, update the Alt text character limit in the app&#x2019;s Settings screen.In Shopify admin, open Apps &#x2192; SmartAlt - AI Alt Text &#x2192; Settings. In the Alt Text preferences section, you can set the character limit anywhere from 100 to 256 characters. The default value is 125.<hr>INFOUse a lower limit if you want shorter, tighter alt text. Use a higher limit if your product images need more detail.<hr><h2 id="change-the-alt-text-character-limit">Change the alt text character limit</h2>1. Open SmartAlt Settings -&#xA0;In Shopify admin, go to Apps &#x2192; SmartAlt - AI Alt Text &#x2192; Settings. The Settings page includes sections such as AI Configuration, Automation, and Alt Text preferences.2. Find Alt Text preferences -&#xA0;Scroll to the Alt Text preferences section.This area also includes options like Include vendor name, Include product title, and Specific metafields.<img src="https://attachments.gorgias.help/1QNmd2YL9kd69XA0/hc/JWjXVxG3bYBxDvMq/2026070909-105e9aae-3d1d-41bd-9bb0-d0f7f7fd9f99-f6bc16c8-99b3-42f3-a17e-c44ecc008ebe.png" alt="SmartAlt Settings showing the Alt text character limit field in Alt Text preferences" class="fr-fic fr-dii">3. Enter your preferred limit -&#xA0;In the Alt text character limit field, type the maximum length you want SmartAlt to use when generating alt text.<ul><li>Minimum: 100 characters</li><li>Maximum: 256 characters</li><li>Default: 125 characters</li></ul>Below the field, SmartAlt shows the guidance text: Recommended: 125 characters (Min 100, Max 256).4. Save your changes -&#xA0;Click Save at the top of the Settings page to apply the new limit. Once saved, SmartAlt will use this character limit for future alt text generation.<h2 id="what-this-setting-affects">What this setting affects</h2>The Alt text character limit affects new alt text generated by SmartAlt. This applies when you run generation from the app&#x2019;s Generate Alt Text screen or from Shopify using Manage with SmartAlt.<ul><li>On the Generate Alt Text screen, SmartAlt uses your saved settings when you click Generate Alt Text.</li><li>If you select products in Shopify and use More actions &#x2192; Apps &#x2192; Manage with SmartAlt, the same saved character limit is used for that generation run.</li></ul><hr>NOTEChanging the limit affects future generated alt text. It does not automatically rewrite alt text that has already been generated.<hr><h2 id="tips-for-choosing-the-right-length">Tips for choosing the right length</h2><ul><li>Choose a shorter limit if you want more concise alt text across large product catalogs.</li><li>Choose a longer limit if your images need more descriptive detail, especially when products include multiple visible attributes.</li><li>If you also enable Include vendor name, Include product title, or Specific metafields, a higher limit can give SmartAlt more room to include those details naturally.</li></ul><hr>TIPIf your generated alt text feels too brief or too detailed, adjust the Alt text character limit, save the change, and then run Generate Alt Text again for the images you want to update.

Adjust alt text length

Use the Usage Reports screen to review past SmartAlt requests, see how many images were processed, check where each request came from, and open the item list for product-level details.

Features

Generate alt text manually

Generate alt text automatically

Include product details in alt text

Adjust alt text length

See Usage Reports