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In HTML, longdesc is an attribute used within the image element, frame element, or iframe element. It is used to reference a long description website of the image, frame, or iframe in question.^[1]

Longdesc is often used by screen readers to display image information for computer users with accessibility issues, such as the blind or visually impaired.^[2]

This is especially important for image maps and similar images because the links of the maps can be listed on the longdesc page.^[3]

[edit] Example

   <img src="Hello.jpg" longdesc="description.html" /> 

Content of description.html:

 ... <p>This is an image of a two-layered birthday cake.</p> ... 

[edit] Linking to the long description in the text

Since some browsers and screen readers have problems displaying the longdesc, or do not display it at all, it is possible to link to the longdesc page outside of the <img/> tag with a capital "D":

[edit] Example

   <img src="Hello.jpg" longdesc="description.html" /> [<a href= "description.html" title="long description of the image">D</a>] 

[edit] Deprecation of longdesc

There is a vote/resolution pending to deprecate longdesc and use ARIA-describeby^[4]

[edit] See also

• alt attribute
• title attribute

[edit] External links

• More information from the W3C site

[edit] References

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