This checklist highlights the 10 most important actions to ensure your website meets accessibility best practices and WCAG 2.1 AA standards. Use it as a quick reference when designing, developing, and testing web content.
- Provide text alternatives (alt text)
Add descriptive alt text for all meaningful images, icons, and graphics. Mark decorative images with empty alt attributes (alt="") in the code or by using your media manager’s ‘Mark as Decorative’ option.
- Ensure proper color contrast
Verify text has at least 4.5:1 contrast ratio (3:1 for large text). Do not use color alone to convey meaning.
- Make content keyboard accessible
All interactive elements must work without a mouse. Ensure logical tab order and visible focus indicators.
- Use proper headings and structure
Organize content with correctly nested headings (H1, H2, H3). Use semantic HTML landmarks for navigation.
- Provide captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions
Caption all video, provide transcripts for audio, and add audio descriptions for visual-only video content.
- Use accessible forms
Label all fields with <label> or aria-label. Provide clear error messages and group related fields with <fieldset> and <legend>.
- Ensure responsive and zoom-friendly design
Content must reflow at 200–400% zoom without horizontal scrolling. Support multiple screen sizes.
- Provide clear, descriptive links
Avoid vague links like 'Click here.' Use meaningful text that describes the link’s purpose.
- Avoid content that flashes or moves automatically
Do not use flashing content. Provide controls to pause, stop, or hide moving or auto-rotating elements.
- Test with assistive technology and real users
Check with screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, high-contrast mode, and involve users with disabilities in testing.