diff --git a/projects/plugins/jetpack/changelog/improve-carousel-a11y b/projects/plugins/jetpack/changelog/improve-carousel-a11y
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..0b974fcbdfaca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/jetpack/changelog/improve-carousel-a11y
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: bugfix
+
+Carousel: Further improve accessibility by being more selective over which images to apply attributes to
diff --git a/projects/plugins/jetpack/modules/carousel/jetpack-carousel.js b/projects/plugins/jetpack/modules/carousel/jetpack-carousel.js
index 63b684aeb9a91..be3a01c0657fc 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/jetpack/modules/carousel/jetpack-carousel.js
+++ b/projects/plugins/jetpack/modules/carousel/jetpack-carousel.js
@@ -377,6 +377,12 @@
 			}
 		}
 
+		function makeGalleryImageAccessible( img ) {
+			img.role = 'button';
+			img.tabIndex = 0;
+			img.ariaLabel = jetpackCarouselStrings.image_label;
+		}
+
 		function initializeCarousel() {
 			if ( ! carousel.overlay ) {
 				carousel.overlay = document.querySelector( '.jp-carousel-overlay' );
@@ -735,6 +741,8 @@
 					return;
 				}
 
+				makeGalleryImageAccessible( image );
+
 				// Make this node a gallery recognizable by event listener above.
 				link.classList.add( 'single-image-gallery' );
 				// blog_id is needed to allow posting comments to correct blog.
@@ -1579,6 +1587,11 @@
 		// Register the event listeners for starting the gallery
 		document.body.addEventListener( 'click', handleInteraction );
 		document.body.addEventListener( 'keydown', handleInteraction );
+		document.querySelectorAll( galleryItemSelector + 'img' ).forEach( function ( galleryImage ) {
+			if ( shouldOpenModal( galleryImage ) ) {
+				makeGalleryImageAccessible( galleryImage );
+			}
+		} );
 
 		function handleInteraction( e ) {
 			if ( e.type === 'click' ) {
@@ -1598,6 +1611,47 @@
 			}
 		}
 
+		function shouldOpenModal( el ) {
+			var parent = el.parentElement;
+			var grandparent = parent.parentElement;
+
+			// If Gallery is made up of individual Image blocks check for custom link before
+			// loading carousel. The custom link may be the parent or could be a descendant
+			// of the parent if the image has rounded corners.
+			var parentHref = null;
+			if ( grandparent && grandparent.classList.contains( 'wp-block-image' ) ) {
+				parentHref = parent.getAttribute( 'href' );
+			} else if (
+				parent &&
+				parent.classList.contains( 'wp-block-image' ) &&
+				parent.querySelector( ':scope > a' )
+			) {
+				parentHref = parent.querySelector( ':scope > a' ).getAttribute( 'href' );
+			}
+
+			// If the link does not point to the attachment or media file then assume Image has
+			// a custom link so don't load the carousel.
+			if (
+				parentHref &&
+				parentHref.split( '?' )[ 0 ] !== el.getAttribute( 'data-orig-file' ).split( '?' )[ 0 ] &&
+				parentHref !== el.getAttribute( 'data-permalink' )
+			) {
+				return false;
+			}
+
+			// Do not open the modal if we are looking at a gallery caption from before WP5, which may contain a link.
+			if ( parent.classList.contains( 'gallery-caption' ) ) {
+				return false;
+			}
+
+			// Do not open the modal if we are looking at a caption of a gallery block, which may contain a link.
+			if ( domUtil.matches( parent, 'figcaption' ) ) {
+				return false;
+			}
+
+			return true;
+		}
+
 		function handleClick( e ) {
 			var isCompatible =
 				window.CSS && window.CSS.supports && window.CSS.supports( 'display', 'grid' );
@@ -1616,41 +1670,7 @@
 					return;
 				}
 
-				var parent = target.parentElement;
-				var grandparent = parent.parentElement;
-
-				// If Gallery is made up of individual Image blocks check for custom link before
-				// loading carousel. The custom link may be the parent or could be a descendant
-				// of the parent if the image has rounded corners.
-				var parentHref = null;
-				if ( grandparent && grandparent.classList.contains( 'wp-block-image' ) ) {
-					parentHref = parent.getAttribute( 'href' );
-				} else if (
-					parent &&
-					parent.classList.contains( 'wp-block-image' ) &&
-					parent.querySelector( ':scope > a' )
-				) {
-					parentHref = parent.querySelector( ':scope > a' ).getAttribute( 'href' );
-				}
-
-				// If the link does not point to the attachment or media file then assume Image has
-				// a custom link so don't load the carousel.
-				if (
-					parentHref &&
-					parentHref.split( '?' )[ 0 ] !==
-						target.getAttribute( 'data-orig-file' ).split( '?' )[ 0 ] &&
-					parentHref !== target.getAttribute( 'data-permalink' )
-				) {
-					return;
-				}
-
-				// Do not open the modal if we are looking at a gallery caption from before WP5, which may contain a link.
-				if ( parent.classList.contains( 'gallery-caption' ) ) {
-					return;
-				}
-
-				// Do not open the modal if we are looking at a caption of a gallery block, which may contain a link.
-				if ( domUtil.matches( parent, 'figcaption' ) ) {
+				if ( ! shouldOpenModal( target ) ) {
 					return;
 				}
 
diff --git a/projects/plugins/jetpack/modules/carousel/jetpack-carousel.php b/projects/plugins/jetpack/modules/carousel/jetpack-carousel.php
index b979bbbbc2bcb..b7abb5fb2ab40 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/jetpack/modules/carousel/jetpack-carousel.php
+++ b/projects/plugins/jetpack/modules/carousel/jetpack-carousel.php
@@ -481,6 +481,7 @@ public function enqueue_assets() {
 				'post_comment'                    => __( 'Post Comment', 'jetpack' ),
 				'write_comment'                   => __( 'Write a Comment...', 'jetpack' ),
 				'loading_comments'                => __( 'Loading Comments...', 'jetpack' ),
+				'image_label'                     => __( 'Open image in full-screen.', 'jetpack' ),
 				'download_original'               => sprintf(
 					/* translators: %1s is the full-size image width, and %2s is the height. */
 					__( 'View full size <span class="photo-size">%1$s<span class="photo-size-times">&times;</span>%2$s</span>', 'jetpack' ),
@@ -993,8 +994,6 @@ class_exists( 'Jetpack_AMP_Support' )
 		$attr['data-image-caption']     = esc_attr( htmlspecialchars( $attachment_caption, ENT_COMPAT ) );
 		$attr['data-medium-file']       = esc_attr( $medium_file );
 		$attr['data-large-file']        = esc_attr( $large_file );
-		$attr['tabindex']               = '0';
-		$attr['role']                   = 'button';
 		return $attr;
 	}