diff --git a/packages/block-library/src/cover/block.json b/packages/block-library/src/cover/block.json
index c186a2416f5c9e..d2c55dd26b4d74 100644
--- a/packages/block-library/src/cover/block.json
+++ b/packages/block-library/src/cover/block.json
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@
 		},
 		"alt": {
 			"type": "string",
-			"source": "attribute",
-			"selector": "img",
-			"attribute": "alt",
 			"default": ""
 		},
 		"hasParallax": {
diff --git a/packages/block-library/src/cover/deprecated.js b/packages/block-library/src/cover/deprecated.js
index fc15cb4ac46d49..e2e773cace1426 100644
--- a/packages/block-library/src/cover/deprecated.js
+++ b/packages/block-library/src/cover/deprecated.js
@@ -244,6 +244,156 @@ const v12BlockSupports = {
 	},
 };
 
+// Deprecation for blocks that does not have the aria-label when the image background is fixed or repeated.
+const v13 = {
+	attributes: v12BlockAttributes,
+	supports: v12BlockSupports,
+	save( { attributes } ) {
+		const {
+			backgroundType,
+			gradient,
+			contentPosition,
+			customGradient,
+			customOverlayColor,
+			dimRatio,
+			focalPoint,
+			useFeaturedImage,
+			hasParallax,
+			isDark,
+			isRepeated,
+			overlayColor,
+			url,
+			alt,
+			id,
+			minHeight: minHeightProp,
+			minHeightUnit,
+			tagName: Tag,
+		} = attributes;
+		const overlayColorClass = getColorClassName(
+			'background-color',
+			overlayColor
+		);
+		const gradientClass = __experimentalGetGradientClass( gradient );
+		const minHeight =
+			minHeightProp && minHeightUnit
+				? `${ minHeightProp }${ minHeightUnit }`
+				: minHeightProp;
+
+		const isImageBackground = IMAGE_BACKGROUND_TYPE === backgroundType;
+		const isVideoBackground = VIDEO_BACKGROUND_TYPE === backgroundType;
+
+		const isImgElement = ! ( hasParallax || isRepeated );
+
+		const style = {
+			minHeight: minHeight || undefined,
+		};
+
+		const bgStyle = {
+			backgroundColor: ! overlayColorClass
+				? customOverlayColor
+				: undefined,
+			background: customGradient ? customGradient : undefined,
+		};
+
+		const objectPosition =
+			// prettier-ignore
+			focalPoint && isImgElement
+					  ? mediaPosition(focalPoint)
+					  : undefined;
+
+		const backgroundImage = url ? `url(${ url })` : undefined;
+
+		const backgroundPosition = mediaPosition( focalPoint );
+
+		const classes = classnames(
+			{
+				'is-light': ! isDark,
+				'has-parallax': hasParallax,
+				'is-repeated': isRepeated,
+				'has-custom-content-position':
+					! isContentPositionCenter( contentPosition ),
+			},
+			getPositionClassName( contentPosition )
+		);
+
+		const imgClasses = classnames(
+			'wp-block-cover__image-background',
+			id ? `wp-image-${ id }` : null,
+			{
+				'has-parallax': hasParallax,
+				'is-repeated': isRepeated,
+			}
+		);
+
+		const gradientValue = gradient || customGradient;
+
+		return (
+			<Tag { ...useBlockProps.save( { className: classes, style } ) }>
+				<span
+					aria-hidden="true"
+					className={ classnames(
+						'wp-block-cover__background',
+						overlayColorClass,
+						dimRatioToClass( dimRatio ),
+						{
+							'has-background-dim': dimRatio !== undefined,
+							// For backwards compatibility. Former versions of the Cover Block applied
+							// `.wp-block-cover__gradient-background` in the presence of
+							// media, a gradient and a dim.
+							'wp-block-cover__gradient-background':
+								url && gradientValue && dimRatio !== 0,
+							'has-background-gradient': gradientValue,
+							[ gradientClass ]: gradientClass,
+						}
+					) }
+					style={ bgStyle }
+				/>
+
+				{ ! useFeaturedImage &&
+					isImageBackground &&
+					url &&
+					( isImgElement ? (
+						<img
+							className={ imgClasses }
+							alt={ alt }
+							src={ url }
+							style={ { objectPosition } }
+							data-object-fit="cover"
+							data-object-position={ objectPosition }
+						/>
+					) : (
+						<div
+							role="img"
+							className={ imgClasses }
+							style={ { backgroundPosition, backgroundImage } }
+						/>
+					) ) }
+				{ isVideoBackground && url && (
+					<video
+						className={ classnames(
+							'wp-block-cover__video-background',
+							'intrinsic-ignore'
+						) }
+						autoPlay
+						muted
+						loop
+						playsInline
+						src={ url }
+						style={ { objectPosition } }
+						data-object-fit="cover"
+						data-object-position={ objectPosition }
+					/>
+				) }
+				<div
+					{ ...useInnerBlocksProps.save( {
+						className: 'wp-block-cover__inner-container',
+					} ) }
+				/>
+			</Tag>
+		);
+	},
+};
+
 // Deprecation for blocks to prevent auto overlay color from overriding previously set values.
 const v12 = {
 	attributes: v12BlockAttributes,
@@ -1673,4 +1823,4 @@ const v1 = {
 	},
 };
 
-export default [ v12, v11, v10, v9, v8, v7, v6, v5, v4, v3, v2, v1 ];
+export default [ v13, v12, v11, v10, v9, v8, v7, v6, v5, v4, v3, v2, v1 ];
diff --git a/packages/block-library/src/cover/edit/index.js b/packages/block-library/src/cover/edit/index.js
index 512794ee3f0ec8..5ff6f8a02ac140 100644
--- a/packages/block-library/src/cover/edit/index.js
+++ b/packages/block-library/src/cover/edit/index.js
@@ -534,7 +534,8 @@ function CoverEdit( {
 					) : (
 						<div
 							ref={ mediaElement }
-							role="img"
+							role={ alt ? 'img' : undefined }
+							aria-label={ alt ? alt : undefined }
 							className={ classnames(
 								classes,
 								'wp-block-cover__image-background'
diff --git a/packages/block-library/src/cover/edit/inspector-controls.js b/packages/block-library/src/cover/edit/inspector-controls.js
index ed2501a0d0ec52..d0e0695ebf6859 100644
--- a/packages/block-library/src/cover/edit/inspector-controls.js
+++ b/packages/block-library/src/cover/edit/inspector-controls.js
@@ -112,7 +112,6 @@ export default function CoverInspectorControls( {
 		isImageBackground,
 		mediaElement,
 		url,
-		isImgElement,
 		overlayColor,
 	} = currentSettings;
 
@@ -202,32 +201,27 @@ export default function CoverInspectorControls( {
 								}
 							/>
 						) }
-						{ ! useFeaturedImage &&
-							url &&
-							isImageBackground &&
-							isImgElement && (
-								<TextareaControl
-									__nextHasNoMarginBottom
-									label={ __( 'Alternative text' ) }
-									value={ alt }
-									onChange={ ( newAlt ) =>
-										setAttributes( { alt: newAlt } )
-									}
-									help={
-										<>
-											<ExternalLink href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/decision-tree">
-												{ __(
-													'Describe the purpose of the image.'
-												) }
-											</ExternalLink>
-											<br />
+						{ ! useFeaturedImage && url && ! isVideoBackground && (
+							<TextareaControl
+								__nextHasNoMarginBottom
+								label={ __( 'Alternative text' ) }
+								value={ alt }
+								onChange={ ( newAlt ) =>
+									setAttributes( { alt: newAlt } )
+								}
+								help={
+									<>
+										<ExternalLink href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/decision-tree">
 											{ __(
-												'Leave empty if decorative.'
+												'Describe the purpose of the image.'
 											) }
-										</>
-									}
-								/>
-							) }
+										</ExternalLink>
+										<br />
+										{ __( 'Leave empty if decorative.' ) }
+									</>
+								}
+							/>
+						) }
 						<PanelRow>
 							<Button
 								variant="secondary"
diff --git a/packages/block-library/src/cover/save.js b/packages/block-library/src/cover/save.js
index b0fce23b448d56..680e92a5f9177b 100644
--- a/packages/block-library/src/cover/save.js
+++ b/packages/block-library/src/cover/save.js
@@ -138,7 +138,8 @@ export default function save( { attributes } ) {
 					/>
 				) : (
 					<div
-						role="img"
+						role={ alt ? 'img' : undefined }
+						aria-label={ alt ? alt : undefined }
 						className={ imgClasses }
 						style={ { backgroundPosition, backgroundImage } }
 					/>
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.html b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..7c8aaa5a7ccbc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.html
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<!-- wp:cover {"url":"https://w.wiki/59So","id":612,"alt":"Custom alt text","hasParallax":true,"dimRatio":50,"isDark":false,"layout":{"type":"constrained"}} -->
+<div class="wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax"><span aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim"></span><div role="img" aria-label="Custom alt text" class="wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax" style="background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)"></div><div class="wp-block-cover__inner-container"><!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center","placeholder":"Write title…","fontSize":"large"} -->
+<p class="has-text-align-center has-large-font-size"></p>
+<!-- /wp:paragraph --></div></div>
+<!-- /wp:cover -->
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.json b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..d848174278dabe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.json
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+[
+	{
+		"name": "core/cover",
+		"isValid": true,
+		"attributes": {
+			"url": "https://w.wiki/59So",
+			"useFeaturedImage": false,
+			"id": 612,
+			"alt": "Custom alt text",
+			"hasParallax": true,
+			"isRepeated": false,
+			"dimRatio": 50,
+			"backgroundType": "image",
+			"isDark": false,
+			"tagName": "div",
+			"layout": {
+				"type": "constrained"
+			}
+		},
+		"innerBlocks": [
+			{
+				"name": "core/paragraph",
+				"isValid": true,
+				"attributes": {
+					"align": "center",
+					"content": "",
+					"dropCap": false,
+					"placeholder": "Write title…",
+					"fontSize": "large"
+				},
+				"innerBlocks": []
+			}
+		]
+	}
+]
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.parsed.json b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.parsed.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..9de6f5b24fe0d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.parsed.json
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+[
+	{
+		"blockName": "core/cover",
+		"attrs": {
+			"url": "https://w.wiki/59So",
+			"id": 612,
+			"alt": "Custom alt text",
+			"hasParallax": true,
+			"dimRatio": 50,
+			"isDark": false,
+			"layout": {
+				"type": "constrained"
+			}
+		},
+		"innerBlocks": [
+			{
+				"blockName": "core/paragraph",
+				"attrs": {
+					"align": "center",
+					"placeholder": "Write title…",
+					"fontSize": "large"
+				},
+				"innerBlocks": [],
+				"innerHTML": "\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"></p>\n",
+				"innerContent": [
+					"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"></p>\n"
+				]
+			}
+		],
+		"innerHTML": "\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\"></span><div role=\"img\" aria-label=\"Custom alt text\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax\" style=\"background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)\"></div><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container\"></div></div>\n",
+		"innerContent": [
+			"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\"></span><div role=\"img\" aria-label=\"Custom alt text\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax\" style=\"background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)\"></div><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container\">",
+			null,
+			"</div></div>\n"
+		]
+	}
+]
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.serialized.html b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.serialized.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..438eba81614c4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__alt-fixed-background.serialized.html
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<!-- wp:cover {"url":"https://w.wiki/59So","id":612,"alt":"Custom alt text","hasParallax":true,"dimRatio":50,"isDark":false,"layout":{"type":"constrained"}} -->
+<div class="wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax"><span aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim"></span><div role="img" aria-label="Custom alt text" class="wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax" style="background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)"></div><div class="wp-block-cover__inner-container"><!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center","placeholder":"Write title…","fontSize":"large"} -->
+<p class="has-text-align-center has-large-font-size"></p>
+<!-- /wp:paragraph --></div></div>
+<!-- /wp:cover -->
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.html b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.html
index 019385914ed580..8c77b25cf33fc5 100644
--- a/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.html
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.html
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <!-- wp:cover {"url":"https://w.wiki/59So","id":612,"hasParallax":true,"isRepeated":true,"dimRatio":10,"isDark":false,"style":{"color":{"duotone":["#8c00b7","#fcff41"]}}} -->
-<div class="wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax is-repeated"><span aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-10 has-background-dim"></span><div role="img" class="wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax is-repeated" style="background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)"></div><div class="wp-block-cover__inner-container"><!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center","placeholder":"Write title…","fontSize":"large"} -->
+<div class="wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax is-repeated"><span aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-10 has-background-dim"></span><div class="wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax is-repeated" style="background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)"></div><div class="wp-block-cover__inner-container"><!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center","placeholder":"Write title…","fontSize":"large"} -->
     <p class="has-text-align-center has-large-font-size"></p>
     <!-- /wp:paragraph --></div></div>
     <!-- /wp:cover -->
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.parsed.json b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.parsed.json
index 814565d144f08d..22ae61f6258ef7 100644
--- a/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.parsed.json
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.parsed.json
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@
 				]
 			}
 		],
-		"innerHTML": "\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax is-repeated\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-10 has-background-dim\"></span><div role=\"img\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax is-repeated\" style=\"background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)\"></div><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container\"></div></div>\n    ",
+		"innerHTML": "\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax is-repeated\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-10 has-background-dim\"></span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax is-repeated\" style=\"background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)\"></div><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container\"></div></div>\n    ",
 		"innerContent": [
-			"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax is-repeated\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-10 has-background-dim\"></span><div role=\"img\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax is-repeated\" style=\"background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)\"></div><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container\">",
+			"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax is-repeated\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-10 has-background-dim\"></span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax is-repeated\" style=\"background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)\"></div><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container\">",
 			null,
 			"</div></div>\n    "
 		]
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.serialized.html b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.serialized.html
index 3af9171f1fa60c..e52c3e993dd109 100644
--- a/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.serialized.html
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/blocks/core__cover__duotone-fixed-background.serialized.html
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <!-- wp:cover {"url":"https://w.wiki/59So","id":612,"hasParallax":true,"isRepeated":true,"dimRatio":10,"isDark":false,"style":{"color":{"duotone":["#8c00b7","#fcff41"]}}} -->
-<div class="wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax is-repeated"><span aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-10 has-background-dim"></span><div role="img" class="wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax is-repeated" style="background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)"></div><div class="wp-block-cover__inner-container"><!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center","placeholder":"Write title…","fontSize":"large"} -->
+<div class="wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax is-repeated"><span aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-10 has-background-dim"></span><div class="wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-612 has-parallax is-repeated" style="background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https://w.wiki/59So)"></div><div class="wp-block-cover__inner-container"><!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center","placeholder":"Write title…","fontSize":"large"} -->
 <p class="has-text-align-center has-large-font-size"></p>
 <!-- /wp:paragraph --></div></div>
 <!-- /wp:cover -->