The alt attribute is meant for alternative text. It specifies alternate text that is rendered when the image cannot be displayed. User agents must render alternate text when they cannot support images, they cannot support a certain image type or when they are configured not to display images. However, Internet Explorer also displays the alt text as tooltip.
According to the HTML 4.01 Specification chapter 13 on Objects, Images, and Applets: One should only use the alt attribute to specify alternative text. If you want to provide supplemental information that browsers may choose to display as a tooltip, use the title attribute.
However Jon Cram argues that title text should be avoided for images. "If you have alt text and title text, which should a screenreader pick? No reason to make things more complicated! The alt text should handle things fine for people with images turned off and for screenreaders. The rest can see the image and so don’t need it described in title text. A caption below the image would be better." says Jon Cram.
He adds that using title text on links (anchor tags) is advisable. The title of a link helps the user decide if it's worth visiting the link. In this respect, your title text needs to describe what the user should expect if they click the link. If it’s a link to an HTML document, or similar, use the HTML title of the target page if you’re really stuck. If it’s a title for a link to an image, describe the image as you would do for alt text. Perfect title text will let the user know what the link will take them to, allowing them to fully analyse whether it is worth the effort before they even consider clicking.
Matt G. on the other hand points that IE uses alt attribute to display tool tips style descriptors and FireFox uses title attribute.
Thus we could boil down to the conclusion that alt attribute should be used for alternative text whereas title attribute can be used where necessary to provide supplemental information regarding the picture which can also otherwise be provided as a caption below the image.
According to the HTML 4.01 Specification chapter 13 on Objects, Images, and Applets: One should only use the alt attribute to specify alternative text. If you want to provide supplemental information that browsers may choose to display as a tooltip, use the title attribute.
However Jon Cram argues that title text should be avoided for images. "If you have alt text and title text, which should a screenreader pick? No reason to make things more complicated! The alt text should handle things fine for people with images turned off and for screenreaders. The rest can see the image and so don’t need it described in title text. A caption below the image would be better." says Jon Cram.
He adds that using title text on links (anchor tags) is advisable. The title of a link helps the user decide if it's worth visiting the link. In this respect, your title text needs to describe what the user should expect if they click the link. If it’s a link to an HTML document, or similar, use the HTML title of the target page if you’re really stuck. If it’s a title for a link to an image, describe the image as you would do for alt text. Perfect title text will let the user know what the link will take them to, allowing them to fully analyse whether it is worth the effort before they even consider clicking.
Matt G. on the other hand points that IE uses alt attribute to display tool tips style descriptors and FireFox uses title attribute.
Thus we could boil down to the conclusion that alt attribute should be used for alternative text whereas title attribute can be used where necessary to provide supplemental information regarding the picture which can also otherwise be provided as a caption below the image.
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