AlleviatorWCAG 2.2 checklist
All 86 success criteria in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, each in a sentence, with how Alleviator checks it.
Perceivable
People can see, hear or otherwise take in everything on the page. 29 criteria.
| Success criterion | Level | What it asks for | How Alleviator checks it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 Non-text Content | A | Every image, icon, and other non-text element has a text alternative that serves the same purpose, or is hidden from assistive technology if purely decorative. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) | A | Prerecorded audio-only content has a transcript, and prerecorded video-only content has a transcript or audio track describing it. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) | A | Prerecorded video with audio has synchronized captions. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) | A | Prerecorded video has either an audio description of important visual content or a full text alternative. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.2.4 Captions (Live) | AA | Live video streams with audio have real-time captions. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) | AA | Prerecorded video includes audio description of important visual content. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.2.6 Sign Language (Prerecorded) | AAA | Prerecorded video with audio includes sign language interpretation. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.2.7 Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) | AAA | When pauses in the audio are too short for audio description, the video is paused to allow extended description. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.2.8 Media Alternative (Prerecorded) | AAA | Prerecorded synchronized media and video-only content have a full text alternative. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.2.9 Audio-only (Live) | AAA | Live audio-only content has a real-time text alternative. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.3.1 Info and Relationships | A | Structure and relationships shown visually (headings, lists, tables, form labels) are also conveyed in code. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence | A | When reading order affects meaning, the code order matches the correct reading order. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics | A | Instructions do not rely solely on shape, color, size, visual location, orientation, or sound. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.3.4 Orientation | AA | Content is not locked to portrait or landscape unless a specific orientation is essential. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose | AA | Form fields that collect user information declare their purpose so browsers and tools can autofill them. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 1.3.6 Identify Purpose | AAA | The purpose of UI components, icons, and regions can be determined programmatically. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.4.1 Use of Color | A | Color is not the only way information, actions, or states are conveyed. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 1.4.2 Audio Control | A | Audio that plays automatically for more than 3 seconds can be paused, stopped, or have its volume controlled independently. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) | AA | Text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background, or 3:1 for large text. | Checked automatically |
| 1.4.4 Resize Text | AA | Text can be resized up to 200% without loss of content or functionality. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 1.4.5 Images of Text | AA | Real text is used instead of images of text, except for logos or where the presentation is essential. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced) | AAA | Text has a contrast ratio of at least 7:1, or 4.5:1 for large text. | Checked automatically |
| 1.4.7 Low or No Background Audio | AAA | Prerecorded speech has no background sound, background sound can be turned off, or it is at least 20 dB quieter than the speech. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.4.8 Visual Presentation | AAA | Blocks of text can be shown with user-chosen colors, limited line width, no justification, generous spacing, and resized to 200% without horizontal scrolling. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 1.4.9 Images of Text (No Exception) | AAA | Images of text are used only for pure decoration or where the presentation is essential, such as logos. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.4.10 Reflow | AA | Content reflows to fit a 320 CSS px wide viewport without scrolling in two directions. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast | AA | UI component boundaries, states, and meaningful graphics have at least 3:1 contrast against adjacent colors. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 1.4.12 Text Spacing | AA | No content is lost when users increase line, paragraph, letter, and word spacing. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus | AA | Tooltips and popups shown on hover or focus can be dismissed, can be hovered over, and stay visible until dismissed. | A person checks, with our guide |
Operable
People can use every part of the page, with a keyboard, a mouse, touch or voice. 34 criteria.
| Success criterion | Level | What it asks for | How Alleviator checks it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1.1 Keyboard | A | All functionality is operable with a keyboard alone. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap | A | Keyboard focus can always be moved away from any component using standard keys. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.1.3 Keyboard (No Exception) | AAA | All functionality is keyboard operable without exception, even path-dependent input. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts | A | Single-character keyboard shortcuts can be turned off, remapped, or only work when the relevant component has focus. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable | A | Users can turn off, adjust, or extend any time limit, unless it is real-time, essential, or longer than 20 hours. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide | A | Moving, blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating content that starts automatically and lasts over 5 seconds can be paused, stopped, or hidden. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.2.3 No Timing | AAA | Timing is not an essential part of any activity, except real-time events and non-interactive synchronized media. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.2.4 Interruptions | AAA | Users can postpone or suppress interruptions, except emergencies. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.2.5 Re-authenticating | AAA | When a session expires, users can re-authenticate and continue without losing data. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.2.6 Timeouts | AAA | Users are warned how long inactivity can last before data is lost, unless data is kept for more than 20 hours. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold | A | Nothing flashes more than three times in any one-second period, unless the flash is below the general and red flash thresholds. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.3.2 Three Flashes | AAA | Nothing flashes more than three times in any one-second period, regardless of size or contrast. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.3.3 Animation from Interactions | AAA | Motion animation triggered by interaction can be disabled unless it is essential. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks | A | Users can skip blocks of content repeated on multiple pages, such as navigation. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.4.2 Page Titled | A | Each page has a title that describes its topic or purpose. | Checked automatically |
| 2.4.3 Focus Order | A | Keyboard focus moves through the page in an order that preserves meaning and operability. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) | A | The purpose of each link is clear from its text alone or together with its surrounding context. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.4.5 Multiple Ways | AA | There is more than one way to find a page within a set of pages, unless the page is a step in a process. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.4.6 Headings and Labels | AA | Headings and labels describe the topic or purpose of the content they introduce. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.4.7 Focus Visible | AA | Every keyboard-focusable element shows a visible focus indicator. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.4.8 Location | AAA | Users can tell where they are within a set of pages. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only) | AAA | The purpose of each link is clear from the link text alone. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.4.10 Section Headings | AAA | Content is organized into sections with headings. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)New in 2.2 | AA | A focused element is not entirely hidden by author-created content such as sticky headers or cookie banners. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced)New in 2.2 | AAA | No part of a focused element is hidden by author-created content. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.4.13 Focus AppearanceNew in 2.2 | AAA | Focus indicators are at least as large as a 2 CSS px perimeter of the component and have 3:1 contrast between focused and unfocused states. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.5.1 Pointer Gestures | A | Functions that use multipoint or path-based gestures can also be operated with a single pointer without a path. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation | A | Single-pointer actions fire on release (up-event) or can be aborted or undone. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.5.3 Label in Name | A | For controls with visible text labels, the accessible name contains the visible text. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.5.4 Motion Actuation | A | Functions triggered by device motion (shaking, tilting) also have a UI control and motion response can be disabled. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.5.5 Target Size (Enhanced) | AAA | Pointer targets are at least 44 by 44 CSS pixels, with limited exceptions. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 2.5.6 Concurrent Input Mechanisms | AAA | Content does not restrict use of available input methods such as touch, mouse, keyboard, or stylus. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.5.7 Dragging MovementsNew in 2.2 | AA | Any function that uses dragging can also be done with a single pointer without dragging. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)New in 2.2 | AA | Pointer targets are at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels, or have enough spacing, with limited exceptions. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
Understandable
Content and controls are clear and behave predictably. 21 criteria.
| Success criterion | Level | What it asks for | How Alleviator checks it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1.1 Language of Page | A | The default human language of each page is identified in code. | Checked automatically |
| 3.1.2 Language of Parts | AA | Passages or phrases in a different language from the page are identified in code. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 3.1.3 Unusual Words | AAA | Definitions are available for jargon, idioms, and words used in an unusual way. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.1.4 Abbreviations | AAA | The expanded form or meaning of abbreviations is available. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.1.5 Reading Level | AAA | When text requires reading ability above lower secondary education level, a simpler version or supplement is provided. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 3.1.6 Pronunciation | AAA | Pronunciation is provided where meaning depends on it. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.2.1 On Focus | A | Moving focus to an element does not trigger an unexpected change of context. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.2.2 On Input | A | Changing a form control's setting does not cause an unexpected change of context unless users are warned first. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation | AA | Navigation repeated across pages appears in the same relative order each time. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 3.2.4 Consistent Identification | AA | Components with the same function are identified consistently across pages. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.2.5 Change on Request | AAA | Changes of context happen only when the user requests them, or can be turned off. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.2.6 Consistent HelpNew in 2.2 | A | Help mechanisms repeated across pages (contact info, chat, FAQ links) appear in the same relative order. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.3.1 Error Identification | A | Input errors that are automatically detected are identified and described to the user in text. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions | A | Form fields have labels or instructions when user input is required. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 3.3.3 Error Suggestion | AA | When an input error is detected and a correction is known, suggestions are provided to the user. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) | AA | Submissions that cause legal or financial commitments, or modify or delete user data, are reversible, checked, or confirmed. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.3.5 Help | AAA | Context-sensitive help is available for forms and inputs. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.3.6 Error Prevention (All) | AAA | All form submissions are reversible, checked for errors, or confirmed before finalizing. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.3.7 Redundant EntryNew in 2.2 | A | Information already entered in the same process is auto-populated or available to select instead of re-entered. | A person checks, with our guide |
| 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum)New in 2.2 | AA | Logging in does not require a cognitive function test, such as remembering or transcribing, unless an alternative or assistance is provided. | Partly automatic, plus a person |
| 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)New in 2.2 | AAA | Authentication requires no cognitive function test at all, including object or personal-content recognition, unless an alternative is provided. | A person checks, with our guide |
Robust
The page works with browsers and assistive technology like screen readers. 2 criteria.
| Success criterion | Level | What it asks for | How Alleviator checks it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value | A | All UI components expose their name, role, state, and value to assistive technology. | Checked automatically |
| 4.1.3 Status Messages | AA | Status messages are announced by assistive technology without receiving focus. | A person checks, with our guide |
About this checklist
Each criterion links to W3C's "Understanding" page, which explains it in full. 4.1.1 Parsing isn't listed: WCAG 2.2 removed it. "Partly automatic" means a scan finds many failures, but a person still has to confirm the rest. See how accurate our automatic checks are on our benchmarks page.
Check your website against WCAG 2.2
Alleviator runs the automatic checks for you and guides you through the rest.