What WCAG 2.2 AA actually asks for
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the international standard for accessible websites, published by the W3C. Version 2.2 came out in October 2023. "AA" is the middle of three levels and the one most organizations aim for.
The four principles
Everything in WCAG hangs off four ideas, often remembered as POUR:
- Perceivable: people can see or hear the content, or get it another way. Images have text descriptions, videos have captions, text has enough contrast.
- Operable: people can use it with a keyboard, a switch or their voice, not just a mouse. Nothing traps focus, and tap targets aren't tiny.
- Understandable: labels, instructions and error messages make sense, and pages behave predictably.
- Robust: the code is clean enough that screen readers and other tools can interpret it.
The checks that matter most on a business site
- Text contrast of at least 4.5:1 (3:1 for large text).
- Alt text on meaningful images, and empty alt on decorative ones.
- Labelled form fields, with errors explained in words, not just red outlines.
- Keyboard access to every link, button and menu, with a visible focus outline.
- Headings in order, so the page has a clear outline.
- Zoom allowed on phones, and text that reflows without sideways scrolling.
- Captions on videos with speech.
- Link and button names that make sense on their own ("Call our shop", not "Click here").
What 2.2 added
WCAG 2.2 kept everything from 2.1 (except one outdated parsing rule) and added criteria that help people with motor and cognitive disabilities. Examples: focused items must not be hidden behind sticky headers, tap targets must be at least 24 by 24 pixels or well spaced, and login steps shouldn't depend on memorizing or transcribing information.
Where automated scans fit
A scan can measure contrast or spot a missing label in seconds. It can't tell whether alt text is accurate or whether a checkout makes sense when read aloud. Use a scan to find the obvious problems fast, then have a person test the important paths.