Accessibility standards

Standards for making your website usable by people with disabilities.

Indicators Standard WhyGuidance
Each access key shortcut is unique so keyboard navigation works correctly.
Allows keyboard-only users and screen reader users to efficiently move through and interact with page content.
Accessibility attributes are only used where they are supported.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Accessibility roles are only applied to elements that support them.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Buttons, links, and menu items have labels that screen readers can announce.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Accessibility attributes are only used when the element's role allows them.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Accessibility roles use current, supported values.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Dialog boxes have labels so screen readers can describe their purpose.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
The page body is not hidden from screen readers.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Interactive elements are not hidden from screen reader users.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Form input fields have labels that screen readers can announce.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Meter elements have labels so screen readers can announce their value.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Progress bars have labels so screen readers can describe their status.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Accessibility attributes are not used where they are prohibited.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Accessibility roles include all required attributes so screen readers can describe the element.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Interactive groups contain all the child elements they need to work correctly.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Interactive elements are nested inside the correct parent container.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Accessibility roles use valid, recognized values.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Text groupings do not hide interactive elements from screen readers.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Toggle controls have labels that screen readers can announce.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Tooltips have labels so screen readers can describe their content.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Tree navigation items have labels that screen readers can announce.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Accessibility attributes use valid values so screen readers can interpret them.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Accessibility attributes use valid, recognized names.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Buttons have labels so screen readers can describe their action.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
The page has a skip link so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.
Allows keyboard-only users and screen reader users to efficiently move through and interact with page content.
Text and background colors meet minimum contrast ratios.
Makes text readable for users with low vision or color blindness by ensuring sufficient visual distinction.
Definition lists use correct markup so screen readers can announce them properly.
Helps screen readers announce structured content (tables, lists) in a logical order that users can understand.
Definition list items are nested inside the correct parent element.
Helps screen readers announce structured content (tables, lists) in a logical order that users can understand.
The page has a descriptive title visible in browser tabs and search results.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
Each element has a unique ID so screen readers can reference it correctly.
Ensures assistive technologies like screen readers can correctly interpret and announce page elements to users with disabilities.
Each form field has only one label so screen readers announce it correctly.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
Embedded frames have titles so screen readers can describe their content.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
Page headings follow a logical order without skipping levels.
Allows keyboard-only users and screen reader users to efficiently move through and interact with page content.
The page declares its language so screen readers use the correct voice.
Helps screen readers pronounce content correctly by identifying the language of the page and its elements.
The page has a valid language code so screen readers pronounce content correctly.
Helps screen readers pronounce content correctly by identifying the language of the page and its elements.
The page's language setting is consistent so screen readers pronounce content correctly.
Helps screen readers pronounce content correctly by identifying the language of the page and its elements.
Images have descriptive alt text or are marked as decorative.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
Image alt text does not duplicate the surrounding visible text.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
Input buttons have labels so screen readers can describe their action.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
Image buttons have alt text that describes their action.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
Form fields have labels so screen readers can identify them.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
Links in body text are visually distinct from surrounding text, not by color alone.
Makes text readable for users with low vision or color blindness by ensuring sufficient visual distinction.
Links have unique, descriptive text so users know where they go.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
Lists use correct markup so screen readers can announce them properly.
Helps screen readers announce structured content (tables, lists) in a logical order that users can understand.
List items are nested inside a valid parent list element.
Helps screen readers announce structured content (tables, lists) in a logical order that users can understand.
The page does not use automatic refresh or redirect tags.
Follows established patterns that prevent common usability barriers for people with disabilities.
The page allows users to zoom in on mobile devices.
Follows established patterns that prevent common usability barriers for people with disabilities.
Embedded objects have alt text so screen readers can describe their content.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
Dropdown menus have labels so screen readers can identify them.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
Skip links are visible and reachable by keyboard so users can bypass navigation.
Gives screen reader users meaningful descriptions of interactive elements so they can understand and use them.
The page uses natural keyboard tab order without manual overrides.
Allows keyboard-only users and screen reader users to efficiently move through and interact with page content.
Table captions and summaries have different content.
Helps screen readers announce structured content (tables, lists) in a logical order that users can understand.
Buttons and interactive elements are large enough to tap easily on touch screens.
Follows established patterns that prevent common usability barriers for people with disabilities.
Table data cells correctly reference their header cells.
Helps screen readers announce structured content (tables, lists) in a logical order that users can understand.
Table headers have associated data cells.
Helps screen readers announce structured content (tables, lists) in a logical order that users can understand.
Language codes on page elements are valid so screen readers pronounce content correctly.
Helps screen readers pronounce content correctly by identifying the language of the page and its elements.
Videos include captions for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Provides alternative ways to access media content for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Headings have visible, descriptive text so screen readers can announce them.
Improves the experience for assistive technology users by ensuring content structure is clear and consistent.
Links to the same destination have consistent text across the page.
Improves the experience for assistive technology users by ensuring content structure is clear and consistent.
The page has exactly one main content area so screen readers can navigate to it.
Improves the experience for assistive technology users by ensuring content structure is clear and consistent.
A button or link's visible label matches what screen readers announce.
Improves the experience for assistive technology users by ensuring content structure is clear and consistent.
Tables use the caption element to label their content.
Improves the experience for assistive technology users by ensuring content structure is clear and consistent.
Each cell in a large table is linked to a header so screen readers can navigate it.
Improves the experience for assistive technology users by ensuring content structure is clear and consistent.
Images display at their intended proportions.
Ensures images display correctly without distortion on different screens and devices.
The page has a doctype declaration so browsers render it correctly.
Helps browsers display web pages correctly by telling them what kind of HTML code the page is using.
The page declares its character encoding so text displays correctly.
Helps computers show words and symbols correctly in different languages and on different devices.