Why it matters
Google finds images with an HTML parser that looks for img elements, and src is the most important attribute: without it Google does not know where the image is. The picture element is supported only through the img it contains, and CSS background images are not extracted.
How to meet it
Product, article and other content images use img with src, inside picture where art direction or modern formats are needed. Keep CSS backgrounds for decoration. Lazy-loaded images keep a real src with loading="lazy", not only a data-src filled in by a script.
How to test it
In the rendered HTML (URL Inspection) key images are img elements with a src; a template search finds no background-image on content images.
How Regensbot covers it
Decided automatically once Regensbot renders your pages.
Headless Chromium renders the page on an isolated render service, and the raw and the rendered HTML run through the same parsers.
Sources
Google documents01
Claims in the knowledge base06
- D2-C527ConsistentUsing images to your advantage and Engaging Search users with videosSaid on stage
- D2-C528ConfirmedUsing images to your advantage and Engaging Search users with videosSaid on stage
- D2-C526ConsistentUsing images to your advantage and Engaging Search users with videosSaid on stage
- D2-C532ConsistentUsing images to your advantage and Engaging Search users with videosSaid on stage
- D2-C524ConsistentUsing images to your advantage and Engaging Search users with videosSaid on stage
- D2-C538n/aUsing images to your advantage and Engaging Search users with videosThe author's interpretation
Claim IDs refer to the Search Central Live 2026 knowledge base. The knowledge base (opens in a new tab)
- Confirmed
- Google's documentation states the same thing.
- Consistent
- Google's documentation supports it without stating it.
- n/a
- Nothing to verify: a quotation, framing, opinion or analysis.