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Practical guides for designers, engineers, researchers and accessibility specialists, and every WCAG 2.2 A and AA criterion in plain words.

Practical guides

WCAG 2.2 in plain words

The map shows every A and AA criterion by guideline. Pick what you’re building to see the ones that apply, then open one for what it asks, who it affects and how to meet it.

All 56 A and AA criteria

1.1 Text alternatives

1.2 Time-based media

1.3 Adaptable

1.4 Distinguishable

2.1 Keyboard accessible

2.2 Enough time

2.3 Seizures and physical reactions

2.4 Navigable

2.5 Input modalities

3.1 Readable

3.2 Predictable

3.3 Input assistance

4.1 Compatible

1. Perceivable

  • 1.1.1
    Non-text Content

    Every image, icon and control that isn't text has a text alternative that serves the same purpose.

    Level A
  • 1.2.1
    Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)

    Prerecorded audio-only content has a transcript; prerecorded video-only content has a transcript or an audio track.

    Level A
  • 1.2.2
    Captions (Prerecorded)

    Prerecorded video with sound has captions.

    Level A
  • 1.2.3
    Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded)

    Prerecorded video with sound has audio description, or a full text alternative that covers what is said and shown.

    Level A
  • 1.2.4
    Captions (Live)

    Live video with sound has captions.

    Level AA
  • 1.2.5
    Audio Description (Prerecorded)

    Prerecorded video with sound has audio description of what's shown on screen and not said aloud.

    Level AA
  • 1.3.1
    Info and Relationships

    Structure shown on screen, such as headings, lists, tables and labels, is also in the markup, so assistive technology can convey it.

    Level A
  • 1.3.2
    Meaningful Sequence

    When the order of content matters to its meaning, assistive technology reads it in that order.

    Level A
  • 1.3.3
    Sensory Characteristics

    Instructions don't rely only on shape, color, size, position or sound, such as “press the round button on the right”.

    Level A
  • 1.3.4
    Orientation

    Content works in portrait and landscape, unless one orientation is essential.

    Level AA
  • 1.3.5
    Identify Input Purpose

    Fields that ask about the person say what they're for in code (autocomplete), so browsers and tools can fill them in.

    Level AA
  • 1.4.1
    Use of Color

    Color is not the only way information is shown, such as which words are links.

    Level A
  • 1.4.2
    Audio Control

    Audio that plays on its own for more than 3 seconds can be paused or stopped, or its volume set apart from the system volume.

    Level A
  • 1.4.3
    Contrast (Minimum)

    Text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 with its background, or 3:1 for large text.

    Level AA
  • 1.4.4
    Resize text

    Text can be enlarged to 200% without assistive technology, and nothing is lost.

    Level AA
  • 1.4.5
    Images of Text

    Text is shown as real text, not as an image of text, unless the image can be customized or is essential, such as a logo.

    Level AA
  • 1.4.10
    Reflow

    At a width of 320 CSS pixels, content fits without scrolling in two directions, except parts that need a two-dimensional layout, such as data tables.

    Level AA
  • 1.4.11
    Non-text Contrast

    Parts of controls, focus indicators and meaningful graphics have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 with the colors next to them.

    Level AA
  • 1.4.12
    Text Spacing

    Nothing is lost when people set line height to 1.5, paragraph spacing to 2, letter spacing to 0.12 and word spacing to 0.16 times the font size.

    Level AA
  • 1.4.13
    Content on Hover or Focus

    Content that appears on hover or focus, such as a tooltip, can be dismissed without moving the pointer or focus, can be hovered itself, and stays until the pointer or focus moves away, it's dismissed, or it's no longer relevant.

    Level AA

2. Operable

  • 2.1.1
    Keyboard

    Everything can be done with a keyboard alone.

    Level A
  • 2.1.2
    No Keyboard Trap

    Keyboard focus never gets stuck: you can always move on with Tab, or the page says how.

    Level A
  • 2.1.4
    Character Key Shortcuts

    Shortcuts that use a single letter, number or symbol key can be turned off or remapped, or work only when their control has focus.

    Level A
  • 2.2.1
    Timing Adjustable

    Time limits can be turned off, adjusted or extended, with a few exceptions.

    Level A
  • 2.2.2
    Pause, Stop, Hide

    Moving, blinking or scrolling content that starts on its own and lasts more than 5 seconds can be paused, stopped or hidden.

    Level A
  • 2.3.1
    Three Flashes or Below Threshold

    Nothing flashes more than three times in any one second, unless the flash is below the general and red flash thresholds.

    Level A
  • 2.4.1
    Bypass Blocks

    There is a way to skip blocks repeated on every page, such as the navigation.

    Level A
  • 2.4.2
    Page Titled

    Each page has a title that says what it is.

    Level A
  • 2.4.3
    Focus Order

    Focus moves through the page in an order that keeps its meaning and operation.

    Level A
  • 2.4.4
    Link Purpose (In Context)

    What a link is for can be told from its text, alone or with the text around it.

    Level A
  • 2.4.5
    Multiple Ways

    There is more than one way to find a page in a set of pages, such as navigation, search or a site map, unless the page is a step in a process.

    Level AA
  • 2.4.6
    Headings and Labels

    Headings and labels describe the topic or purpose of what they introduce.

    Level AA
  • 2.4.7
    Focus Visible

    The element with keyboard focus shows a visible indicator.

    Level AA
  • 2.4.11
    Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)

    The element with keyboard focus is never entirely hidden by other content, such as a sticky header.

    Level AA, new in 2.2
  • 2.5.1
    Pointer Gestures

    Anything done with a multipoint or path-based gesture, such as a pinch or a swipe along a path, can also be done with a single pointer without a path, unless the gesture is essential.

    Level A
  • 2.5.2
    Pointer Cancellation

    An action made with a single pointer runs on release rather than on press, can be aborted or undone, or is reversed on release, unless running on press is essential.

    Level A
  • 2.5.3
    Label in Name

    A control's accessible name contains the text of its visible label.

    Level A
  • 2.5.4
    Motion Actuation

    Anything triggered by moving the device, such as shaking or tilting it, can also be done with a control, and the motion response can be turned off, unless the motion is essential.

    Level A
  • 2.5.7
    Dragging Movements

    Anything done by dragging can also be done with a single pointer without dragging, such as by clicking or tapping, unless dragging is essential.

    Level AA, new in 2.2
  • 2.5.8
    Target Size (Minimum)

    Pointer targets are at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels or have enough space around them, with exceptions such as links in a sentence.

    Level AA, new in 2.2

3. Understandable

  • 3.1.1
    Language of Page

    The page's main language is set in code.

    Level A
  • 3.1.2
    Language of Parts

    A passage in another language has its language set in code.

    Level AA
  • 3.2.1
    On Focus

    Moving focus to an element doesn't change the context on its own, such as opening a new page or submitting a form.

    Level A
  • 3.2.2
    On Input

    Changing a setting, such as choosing an option or checking a box, doesn't change the context unless people were told beforehand.

    Level A
  • 3.2.3
    Consistent Navigation

    Navigation repeated across pages appears in the same relative order each time, unless the person changes it.

    Level AA
  • 3.2.4
    Consistent Identification

    Components with the same function across pages are identified the same way, such as the same label for the same search button.

    Level AA
  • 3.2.6
    Consistent Help

    Where help is offered on several pages, such as contact details or a chat, it appears in the same relative order on each.

    Level A, new in 2.2
  • 3.3.1
    Error Identification

    When an input error is detected automatically, the field in error is identified and the error is described in text.

    Level A
  • 3.3.2
    Labels or Instructions

    Fields that need input have labels or instructions.

    Level A
  • 3.3.3
    Error Suggestion

    When an input error is detected and a correction is known, the message suggests it, unless that would undermine security or purpose.

    Level AA
  • 3.3.4
    Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data)

    Submissions with legal or financial consequences, or that change or delete stored data, can be reversed, are checked for errors with a chance to correct them, or can be reviewed and confirmed before they're final. Submitting exam answers counts too.

    Level AA
  • 3.3.7
    Redundant Entry

    Within a process, information the person already entered is filled in for them or offered to choose, rather than asked for again, with exceptions such as security.

    Level A, new in 2.2
  • 3.3.8
    Accessible Authentication (Minimum)

    Signing in doesn't require a cognitive function test, such as remembering a password or solving a puzzle, unless there's an alternative or a way to help, such as a password manager filling it in, or the person only has to recognize objects or their own content.

    Level AA, new in 2.2

4. Robust

  • 4.1.1
    Parsing

    Removed from WCAG 2.2. Under WCAG 2.1, the 2023 errata say it is always met, because browsers and assistive technology no longer depend on well-formed markup.

    Level A
  • 4.1.2
    Name, Role, Value

    Every control's name and role can be read by assistive technology, and its states and values are set in code and announced when they change.

    Level A
  • 4.1.3
    Status Messages

    Status messages are announced by assistive technology without taking focus.

    Level AA