Automatic alt text on upload

Updated

With Automatic generation on, every image you upload gets AI alt text a few moments later, as long as its Alternative Text is empty. Images already in your library aren't touched. For those, see Generate missing alt text.

Save a site API key first

Automatic alt text, like the rest of the AI tools, uses the OpenRouter key saved for the whole site.

  1. Go to AI → Settings.
  2. Fill in OpenRouter API Key and save.
  3. Go back to AI → Alt Text.

Until a site key is saved, the automatic section asks you to add one, and the checkbox doesn't appear.

Turn it on

  1. Open AI → Alt Text.
  2. Under Automatic generation, check Automatically generate alt text when images are uploaded.
  3. Change the Model if you want. The recommended default works well.
  4. Upload a test image in Media → Library and check that Alternative Text fills in after a short wait.

Uncheck the box to turn it off. It never overwrites alt text you've already written.

If the AI can't describe an image

Sometimes the AI replies with an error message, such as "I'm unable to see the image", instead of a description. That's never saved, and the image stays on the AI Alt Text screen under Missing Alt Text. Use Generate Alt Text to try again, or pick another model. After three failed tries it marks the image Skipped in Media → Library and on the AI Alt Text screen. Write its alt text yourself or use Generate Alt Text with another model.

If automatic alt text stops working

When the AI service turns a request down (for example, the OpenRouter account is out of credits or the model was retired), a notice at the top of Media → Library and the AI Alt Text screen says what went wrong. Images uploaded meanwhile stay on the AI Alt Text screen under Missing Alt Text, ready for Generate All Alt Text once it's fixed. The notice goes away after the next image is described, or after a week.

If the chosen Model has been retired, Dirigible AI Alt Text switches to the recommended one by itself.

Tips

  • Each upload uses OpenRouter credits.
  • Uploading a large batch queues a lot of work in the background. To watch progress instead, turn automatic generation off, upload the batch, then use Generate All Alt Text on the AI Alt Text screen.

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