XKCD Alt Text

The XKCD Alt Text extension makes it slightly easier to read the XKCD web comic. It's primary function is to add a description…

What is XKCD Alt Text?

XKCD Alt Text is a Chrome extension crafted for XKCD web comic enthusiasts. It improves visibility and readability by displaying the comic's hover text as a description beneath. It carries the additional function of moving the header below the comic for increased visibility. This extra feature can be easily disabled when not required. The extension also supports HTTPS connections.

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Extension stats

By: James Kwan

View on Chrome Web Store

Users: 641 ▲ 16

Rating: 4.06 (17)

Version: 2.8.1 (Last updated: 2014-01-27)

Creation date: 2014-01-26

Risk impact: Low risk impact

Risk likelihood: Low risk likelihood

Manifest version: 2

Size: 59.02K

Ranking

# 37330 ▲ 221

Other rankings

#2147 in Social Networking ▲ 3 #76 in comic keyword 12 ▼ 1

Other platforms

Not available on Firefox

Not available on Edge

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Extension summary

Analyze keywords

The XKCD Alt Text extension makes it slightly easier to read the XKCD web comic. It's primary function is to add a description beneath the comic, so that you don't have to try and read the tiny hover text before it fades away. It can also move the header below the comic, to increase visibility. This feature can easily be disabled. Update 2.8.1: Works over HTTPS

User reviews

These summaries are automatically generated weekly using AI based on recent user reviews. Chrome Web Store does not verify user reviews, so some user reviews may be inaccurate, spammy, or outdated.

Pros

Great extension and works perfectly as expected.
Allows reading the entire text without it disappearing.

Cons

Does not display the actual alt text, only the title text.
Rearranges the page layout by moving the site header, affecting accessibility.
Uses a background page that consumes RAM even when not in use.
Bug causing redirection to an advertisement.

Most mentioned

Extremely bad. It fails at displaying the alt text.
alt != title. The distinction between alt text and title text is crucial.
Feature to move the site header below the comic should be opt-in.
Design hacks and issues with how content is displayed.

Recent reviews

Extremely bad. It has ONE JOB, and somehow manages to completely fail at it. It never shows the alt text of the xkcd ANYWHERE on the page. The only thing it seems to do is show the *title* text (which can always be easily read without the extension by simply hovering over the comic), but the alcual *alt* text is nowhere to be found. 100% misleading

FaviFake, 2023-04-28

alt != title Great extension and works perfectly as expected. However, the feature moving the site header below the comic—although it can be overridden—should not be the default, as it isn't the main function of the extension. Headers are important for accessibility & navigation and this feature rearranges the actual source markup, which affects screen readers. This feature should be opt-in, not opt-out. (And should use CSS only [e.g. Flexbox] to reorder the view.) Also, one minor distinction: This app does not reveal "alt text"; it reveals "title text", which XKCD uses as supplementary text for the comic. The "alt text" of the image is still unexposed.