The Complete WCAG 2.2 Checklist (A & AA)

WCAG — the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines — is the standard behind nearly every accessibility law, from the ADA to the European Accessibility Act. The official spec is precise but dense. This is the same standard translated into a checklist you can actually work from, organized by the four principles and grouped by the work you’d do to satisfy each one.

A, AA, AAA — which level do you need?

• Level A — the floor. Failing these blocks some users entirely.
• Level AA — the legal target. This is what the ADA, EAA, and Section 508 effectively require.
• Level AAA — gold standard, not generally required site-wide.

Below, each item is tagged with the success criterion number and its level.

1. Perceivable

Users must be able to perceive the information — it can’t be invisible to all of their senses.

• 1.1.1 A All images, icons, and non-text content have a meaningful text alternative (or are marked decorative). 👁 How to write alt text
• 1.2.2 A Pre-recorded video has captions.
• 1.2.5 AA Pre-recorded video has audio description.
• 1.3.1 A Structure (headings, lists, tables, form labels) is conveyed in the markup, not just visually.
• 1.3.5 AA Input fields collecting user info have an autocomplete purpose set where applicable.
• 1.4.1 A Color is never the only way information is conveyed.
• 1.4.3 AA Text contrast is at least 4.5:1 (3:1 for large text). 👁 Check contrast →
• 1.4.4 AA Text can be resized to 200% without loss of content or function.
• 1.4.10 AA Content reflows to a single column at 320px wide — no horizontal scrolling.
• 1.4.11 AA UI components and graphics have at least 3:1 contrast against their surroundings.

2. Operable

Every function must work for users who don’t use a mouse, need more time, or are sensitive to motion.

• 2.1.1 A Everything is operable by keyboard alone.
• 2.1.2 A Keyboard focus is never trapped in a component.
• 2.4.1 A A skip-to-content link lets keyboard users bypass repeated navigation.
• 2.4.3 A Focus order follows a logical, meaningful sequence.
• 2.4.4 A Link text makes sense on its own (no bare “click here”).
• 2.4.7 AA The keyboard focus indicator is always visible.
• 2.4.11 AA Focused elements aren’t fully hidden behind sticky headers/footers. New in 2.2
• 2.5.7 AA Any dragging action has a single-pointer alternative. New in 2.2
• 2.5.8 AA Interactive targets are at least 24×24px (or adequately spaced). New in 2.2

3. Understandable

Content and interface behavior must be predictable and clear.

• 3.1.1 A The page language is declared in the HTML (lang attribute).
• 3.2.2 A Changing a form field doesn’t trigger an unexpected context change.
• 3.3.1 A Input errors are identified in text, not by color alone.
• 3.3.2 A Form fields and controls have visible labels and instructions.
• 3.3.7 A Users aren’t asked to re-enter information they already provided in the same process. New in 2.2
• 3.3.8 AA Authentication doesn’t rely on a cognitive memory test (allow paste, password managers, etc.). New in 2.2

4. Robust

Content must work reliably across browsers and assistive technologies, now and in the future.

• 4.1.2 A All UI components have a correct name, role, and value exposed to assistive tech (use semantic HTML; ARIA only where needed).
• 4.1.3 AA Status messages (e.g. “added to cart”) are announced to screen readers without moving focus.

What’s new in WCAG 2.2

WCAG 2.2 (the current version) added nine success criteria, mostly aimed at users with motor and cognitive disabilities. The ones most likely to trip up a modern site:

• 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured — sticky headers that cover the focused element fail.
• 2.5.8 Target Size — tiny tap targets and cramped icon buttons fail.
• 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication — “type the 3rd, 5th, and 7th character of your password” patterns fail.