diff --git a/assets/reader.css b/assets/reader.css
index 2e11659..432882c 100644
--- a/assets/reader.css
+++ b/assets/reader.css
@@ -2537,3 +2537,45 @@
   margin: 0 0.05em;
 }
 
+/* Gallery items — positioned for ALT badge overlay */
+.ap-card__gallery-item {
+  position: relative;
+}
+
+/* ALT text badges */
+.ap-media__alt-badge {
+  position: absolute;
+  bottom: 0.5rem;
+  left: 0.5rem;
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7);
+  color: white;
+  font-size: 0.65rem;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  padding: 0.15rem 0.35rem;
+  border-radius: var(--border-radius-small);
+  border: none;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  letter-spacing: 0.03em;
+  z-index: 1;
+}
+
+.ap-media__alt-badge:hover {
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);
+}
+
+.ap-media__alt-text {
+  position: absolute;
+  bottom: 2.2rem;
+  left: 0.5rem;
+  right: 0.5rem;
+  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85);
+  color: white;
+  font-size: var(--font-size-s);
+  padding: 0.5rem;
+  border-radius: var(--border-radius-small);
+  max-height: 8rem;
+  overflow-y: auto;
+  z-index: 2;
+}
+
diff --git a/lib/controllers/explore-utils.js b/lib/controllers/explore-utils.js
index 03a95a6..197ee94 100644
--- a/lib/controllers/explore-utils.js
+++ b/lib/controllers/explore-utils.js
@@ -84,7 +84,14 @@ export function mapMastodonStatusToItem(status, instance) {
     const url = att.url || att.remote_url || "";
     if (!url) continue;
     if (att.type === "image" || att.type === "gifv") {
-      photo.push(url);
+      photo.push({
+        url,
+        alt: att.description || "",
+        width: att.meta?.original?.width || null,
+        height: att.meta?.original?.height || null,
+        blurhash: att.blurhash || "",
+        focus: att.meta?.focus || null,
+      });
     } else if (att.type === "video") {
       video.push(url);
     } else if (att.type === "audio") {
@@ -144,7 +151,12 @@ export function mapMastodonStatusToItem(status, instance) {
     for (const att of q.media_attachments || []) {
       const attUrl = att.url || att.remote_url || "";
       if (attUrl && (att.type === "image" || att.type === "gifv")) {
-        qPhoto.push(attUrl);
+        qPhoto.push({
+          url: attUrl,
+          alt: att.description || "",
+          width: att.meta?.original?.width || null,
+          height: att.meta?.original?.height || null,
+        });
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/timeline-store.js b/lib/timeline-store.js
index 714de76..e843ccb 100644
--- a/lib/timeline-store.js
+++ b/lib/timeline-store.js
@@ -256,7 +256,12 @@ export async function extractObjectData(object, options = {}) {
         const mediaType = att.mediaType?.toLowerCase() || "";
 
         if (mediaType.startsWith("image/")) {
-          photo.push(mediaUrl);
+          photo.push({
+            url: mediaUrl,
+            alt: att.name?.toString() || "",
+            width: att.width || null,
+            height: att.height || null,
+          });
         } else if (mediaType.startsWith("video/")) {
           video.push(mediaUrl);
         } else if (mediaType.startsWith("audio/")) {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index cc32142..e84f176 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@rmdes/indiekit-endpoint-activitypub",
-  "version": "2.5.2",
+  "version": "2.5.3",
   "description": "ActivityPub federation endpoint for Indiekit via Fedify. Adds full fediverse support: actor, inbox, outbox, followers, following, syndication, and Mastodon migration.",
   "keywords": [
     "indiekit",
diff --git a/views/partials/ap-item-media.njk b/views/partials/ap-item-media.njk
index 33adefd..c19def0 100644
--- a/views/partials/ap-item-media.njk
+++ b/views/partials/ap-item-media.njk
@@ -6,14 +6,23 @@
   {% set extraCount = item.photo.length - 4 %}
   {% set totalPhotos = item.photo.length %}
   <div x-data="{ lightbox: false, idx: 0 }" class="ap-card__gallery ap-card__gallery--{{ displayCount }}">
-    {% for photoUrl in item.photo %}
+    {% for photo in item.photo %}
+      {# Support both old string format and new object format #}
+      {% set photoSrc = photo.url if photo.url else photo %}
+      {% set photoAlt = photo.alt if photo.alt else "" %}
       {% if loop.index0 < 4 %}
-        <button type="button" @click="idx = {{ loop.index0 }}; lightbox = true" class="ap-card__gallery-link{% if loop.index0 == 3 and extraCount > 0 %} ap-card__gallery-link--more{% endif %}">
-          <img src="{{ photoUrl }}" alt="" loading="lazy">
-          {% if loop.index0 == 3 and extraCount > 0 %}
-            <span class="ap-card__gallery-more">+{{ extraCount }}</span>
+        <div class="ap-card__gallery-item" x-data="{ showAlt: false }">
+          <button type="button" @click="idx = {{ loop.index0 }}; lightbox = true" class="ap-card__gallery-link{% if loop.index0 == 3 and extraCount > 0 %} ap-card__gallery-link--more{% endif %}">
+            <img src="{{ photoSrc }}" alt="{{ photoAlt }}" loading="lazy">
+            {% if loop.index0 == 3 and extraCount > 0 %}
+              <span class="ap-card__gallery-more">+{{ extraCount }}</span>
+            {% endif %}
+          </button>
+          {% if photoAlt %}
+            <button type="button" class="ap-media__alt-badge" @click.stop="showAlt = !showAlt" :aria-expanded="showAlt">ALT</button>
+            <div class="ap-media__alt-text" x-show="showAlt" x-cloak @click.stop>{{ photoAlt }}</div>
           {% endif %}
-        </button>
+        </div>
       {% endif %}
     {% endfor %}
 
@@ -24,7 +33,9 @@
         {% if totalPhotos > 1 %}
           <button type="button" @click="idx = (idx - 1 + {{ totalPhotos }}) % {{ totalPhotos }}" class="ap-lightbox__prev" aria-label="Previous image">&lsaquo;</button>
         {% endif %}
-        <img :src="[{% for p in item.photo %}'{{ p }}'{% if not loop.last %},{% endif %}{% endfor %}][idx]" class="ap-lightbox__img" alt="">
+        <img :src="[{% for photo in item.photo %}'{{ photo.url if photo.url else photo }}'{% if not loop.last %},{% endif %}{% endfor %}][idx]"
+             :alt="[{% for photo in item.photo %}'{{ (photo.alt if photo.alt else '') | replace(\"'\", \"\\'\") }}'{% if not loop.last %},{% endif %}{% endfor %}][idx]"
+             class="ap-lightbox__img">
         {% if totalPhotos > 1 %}
           <button type="button" @click="idx = (idx + 1) % {{ totalPhotos }}" class="ap-lightbox__next" aria-label="Next image">&rsaquo;</button>
           <div class="ap-lightbox__counter" x-text="(idx + 1) + ' / ' + {{ totalPhotos }}"></div>
diff --git a/views/partials/ap-quote-embed.njk b/views/partials/ap-quote-embed.njk
index 15d1a24..66466ef 100644
--- a/views/partials/ap-quote-embed.njk
+++ b/views/partials/ap-quote-embed.njk
@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@
         <div class="ap-quote-embed__content">{{ item.quote.content.html | safe }}</div>
       {% endif %}
       {% if item.quote.photo and item.quote.photo.length > 0 %}
+        {% set qPhoto = item.quote.photo[0] %}
         <div class="ap-quote-embed__media">
-          <img src="{{ item.quote.photo[0] }}" alt="" loading="lazy" class="ap-quote-embed__photo">
+          <img src="{{ qPhoto.url if qPhoto.url else qPhoto }}" alt="{{ qPhoto.alt if qPhoto.alt else '' }}" loading="lazy" class="ap-quote-embed__photo">
         </div>
       {% endif %}
     </a>