Alt text, or alternative text, is typically added to images and other non-text content in a spreadsheet to communicate the content or function to people who cannot see these elements. However, there may be instances when you want to remove this alternative text, and this blog post is going to guide you on how to do just that in Microsoft Excel.
Understanding Alternative Text in Excel
Before we dive into the removal process, it’s essential to understand what alternative text is. As mentioned, alternative text is used to describe an object that is not text-based. This can be beneficial to those with visual impairments as screen reading tools can read the alt text to provide a description of the object.
Steps to Remove Alternative Text in Excel
Removing the alternative text in Excel is quite straightforward and doesn’t require extensive knowledge of the program. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
Step 1: Open Your Excel Workbook
Firstly, open the Excel workbook that contains the alternative text you want to delete.
Step 2: Select the Object
Click on the object (graphic, image, chart, etc.) which contains the alternative text that you wish to remove.
Step 3: Open the Format Object Dialogue Box
Right-click on the selected object and click on the Format Object option from the dropdown menu. This will open the Format Object dialogue box.
Step 4: Open the Alt Text Pane
In the Format Object dialogue box, click on the Size & Properties icon, which looks like a square with arrows. In the new pane that appears to the right, click on the Alt Text option.
Step 5: Delete the Alt Text
You will now see a text box under the Title and Description headings. This is where the alternative text is. Simply click in the text box and delete the existing text.
Step 6: Exit
Finally, click anywhere outside the Format Object dialogue box to close it and save your changes.
Conclusion
And, there you have it! You now know how to remove alternative text from an object in Excel. Remember, while alt text can be extremely useful, especially for accessibility reasons, it’s not always necessary. Therefore, feel free to use this guide whenever you need to remove it.
