WCAG 2.1 AA checklist for business websites

Updated September 21, 2026 · 4 min read

WCAG 2.1 Level AA contains 50 success criteria. You do not need to memorize them. This checklist groups them the way a business owner can act on them, starting with the problems that appear most often in ADA website complaints and on the websites of businesses that get sued.

Use it with an automated scan: the scan finds many of the problems listed under "automated" quickly, and the manual checks cover what a machine cannot judge.

1. Images and media

• ☐ Every meaningful image has alt text that says what it shows in context, and decorative images have empty alt (alt=""). Automated plus manual. 1.1.1 Non-text Content
• ☐ Linked images and logos have alt text that describes the destination. 2.4.4 Link Purpose
• ☐ Videos with sound have accurate, synchronized captions. 1.2.2 Captions
• ☐ Text is real text, not text baked into images (banners, sale graphics). 1.4.5 Images of Text
• ☐ Anything that moves or auto-plays for more than 5 seconds (carousels, background video) can be paused. 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide

2. Buttons, links and controls

• ☐ Every button and link has an accessible name, especially icon-only ones: cart, search, menu, close, social icons, quantity plus/minus, carousel arrows. Automated. 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value
• ☐ Link text makes sense, or its context does ("Read more about returns," not "click here"). 2.4.4
• ☐ Custom widgets (menus, accordions, tabs, variant pickers) announce their state, such as expanded or selected. 4.1.2
• ☐ Embedded frames (maps, videos, chat) have a title. 4.1.2

3. Forms and checkout

• ☐ Every field has a visible label connected to it; placeholder text is not the label. Automated. 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions
• ☐ Required fields and formats are stated in text. 3.3.2
• ☐ Errors say which field is wrong and how to fix it, in text. 3.3.1 Error Identification, 3.3.3 Error Suggestion
• ☐ Personal data fields use autocomplete (name, email, address, card). 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose
• ☐ Radio groups and checkbox groups are wrapped in a fieldset with a legend. 1.3.1 Info and Relationships

4. Color and text

• ☐ Body text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1; large text at least 3:1. Automated. 1.4.3 Contrast
• ☐ Buttons, input borders and meaningful icons have at least 3:1 contrast. 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast
• ☐ Color is not the only way information is shown (such as a red border alone for errors). 1.4.1 Use of Color
• ☐ Text can be zoomed to 200% and the page reflows on narrow screens; mobile zoom is not disabled. 1.4.4 Resize Text, 1.4.10 Reflow

5. Keyboard and focus

• ☐ Everything works with the keyboard alone: menus, product options, add to cart, checkout, pop-ups. Manual. 2.1.1 Keyboard
• ☐ Nothing traps keyboard focus, and pop-ups close with Escape. 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap
• ☐ The focused element is always visible. Manual. 2.4.7 Focus Visible
• ☐ Focus order follows the visual order. 2.4.3 Focus Order
• ☐ A "Skip to content" link lets keyboard users bypass the menu. 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks

6. Page structure

• ☐ Each page has a unique, descriptive title. Automated. 2.4.2 Page Titled
• ☐ The page language is set (<html lang="en">). Automated. 3.1.1 Language of Page
• ☐ Headings, lists and tables use real HTML elements. 1.3.1
• ☐ Navigation is consistent across pages. 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation

7. Test it like a real user

1. Keyboard pass (5 minutes). Unplug the mouse and buy something.
2. Screen reader pass (15 minutes). VoiceOver (Mac: Cmd+F5; iPhone: Settings, Accessibility) or NVDA on Windows (free). Can you find a product, pick a size, and check out?
3. Zoom pass. 200% zoom on desktop; pinch-zoom on a phone.
4. Re-scan and save the dated report.

What about WCAG 2.2?

WCAG 2.2 was published in October 2023. It keeps nearly everything from 2.1, removes the obsolete 4.1.1 Parsing criterion, and adds criteria such as 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured, 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) and 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication. WCAG 2.1 AA remains the level most often referenced in settlements, but meeting 2.2 AA also meets 2.1 AA, so it is a sensible target for new work.

Frequently asked questions

How many WCAG 2.1 AA criteria are there?

WCAG 2.1 has 78 success criteria in total: 30 at Level A, 20 at Level AA and 28 at Level AAA. Conforming at Level AA means meeting all 50 Level A and AA criteria.

Can an automated scanner check everything?

No. Automated tools reliably find a portion of WCAG failures, such as missing alt text, missing labels and low contrast. Keyboard operation, focus visibility, meaningful alt text and logical reading order need a human check.

Where should a small online store start?

Fix the header icons, product images, add-to-cart and checkout forms, and theme colors first. Those few templates cover most of the pages a shopper touches and most of the failures plaintiffs cite.

Does using Shopify, Wix or Squarespace make my site accessible?

The platforms provide a reasonable foundation, but themes, apps and your own content (images, colors, videos) can introduce failures. You are still responsible for the site you publish.

Related

• ADA website lawsuits explained: who sues, why, and what the law requires
• Got an ADA website demand letter? What to do in the first two weeks
• WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)
• WCAG 2.1.1 Keyboard

Proof of Access provides technical accessibility assessments. We are not a law firm and nothing on this page is legal advice. If you have received a demand letter or a lawsuit, talk to an attorney.