Accessibility is usually framed as a compliance topic, something to check off rather than something that changes how an email performs. The Email Markup Consortium's 2026 Accessibility Report, based on an audit of hundreds of thousands of real emails, found missing alt text on images present in 47.88% of all emails tested, and non-descriptive link text, the 'click here' problem, present in over 71% of emails. Both are simple, low-effort fixes sitting untouched in the large majority of sends.

Why this affects more than screen reader users

Stripo's 2026 accessibility guidance makes a point worth remembering: alt text benefits every recipient, not only those using assistive technology. It also helps subscribers with images blocked due to slow connections, security settings, or personal preference, and supports people with dyslexia or other reading differences, not exclusively vision impairment. Building for accessibility is, in practice, building for a much wider set of real reading conditions than the term suggests.

The core fixes, in order of impact

1. Meaningful alt text on every image that carries information

Every image that conveys meaning needs a description, not the file name or a blank tag. Purely decorative images can use an empty alt attribute so screen readers skip over them entirely rather than reading out irrelevant detail.

2. Live text for anything essential

emfluence's 2026 guidance is direct about this: if your headline disappears when images are blocked, that is a real problem, not an edge case, given how often images fail to load. Keep headlines and core messaging as live, selectable text rather than baked into an image.

3. Descriptive link and button text

Screen readers often present a page's links as a standalone list, stripped of surrounding context. A link that simply says 'click here' becomes meaningless in that list. Litmus's 2026 accessibility guide recommends CTA text specific enough to stand alone, such as 'View your order' rather than 'click here'.

4. Sufficient colour contrast

Low-contrast text, pale grey on white, light colours on light backgrounds, is one of the most common accessibility failures and also one of the easiest to test for before sending, using any of the free contrast-checking tools built for web and email design.

A simple pre-send check

• Turn images off and read the email as it would appear to someone whose client blocks them by default.
• Tab through the email using only the keyboard and confirm every link and button is reachable in a logical order.
• Run a free contrast checker on your text and background colour combinations.
• Read your link text out of context, on its own, and check whether it still makes sense.

Where this connects to design decisions you are already making

Accessible design overlaps heavily with the mobile-first and colour-contrast principles covered in our other design guides. A high-contrast CTA button built for thumb-friendly mobile tapping is, by coincidence, also more accessible for low-vision readers. Good accessibility practice and good general design practice converge more often than teams expect, which makes it one of the lowest-friction improvements available to most email programmes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the single most common accessibility mistake in email?

Missing or unhelpful alt text on images, found in close to half of all emails audited in 2026 industry research, followed closely by non-descriptive link text like 'click here'.

Does accessible email design hurt visual design quality?

No. Most accessibility fixes, meaningful alt text, sufficient contrast, descriptive links, are invisible to sighted readers who do not need them, while genuinely helping readers who do.

Is email accessibility a legal requirement?

Requirements vary by jurisdiction and sector, but accessibility is increasingly treated as part of how digital experiences are evaluated by regulators, not only a voluntary best practice.

How do I test an email for accessibility before sending?

View it with images turned off, navigate it using only a keyboard, check colour contrast with a free tool, and ideally do a full pass with a screen reader such as NVDA or VoiceOver.

Mail Blaze is an email marketing platform specialising in email engagement, giving you the tools to create, test, and send email campaigns with greater control over your content and design.

P.S. If you are not sure how your current template holds up, send it over and we will give you a straightforward read on it.