This material is a specification and reference set. It is not an accessibility scanner, a legal opinion, a certification, or evidence of a completed audit. Sample observations are explicitly untested, and WCAG 3 is draft guidance rather than the target here.

Level
All A AA

Principle
All PerceivableOperableUnderstandableRobust

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55 of 55 criteria shown.

Perceivable

• 1.1.1 Non-text Content IF content is non-text, classify its purpose; supply a purpose-equivalent alternative, identify special sensory/test/media content, name controls, or make decoration ignorable. CAPTCHA has additional modality requirements. Review meaning, not merely alt-attribute presence. Level A
• 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) IF recorded media contains only audio, provide equivalent time-based information in text; IF it contains only video, provide an equivalent text alternative or audio track. Check the clearly identified alternative-to-text exception. Level A
• 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) IF recorded synchronized media includes audio, provide synchronized captions conveying dialogue and significant sounds. A clearly identified media alternative to existing text has a specific exception. Check caption accuracy manually. Level A
• 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) IF recorded synchronized media includes visual information, supply audio description OR an equivalent time-based media alternative, subject to the identified alternative-to-text exception. Passing this criterion alone does not settle AA audio-description requirements. Level A
• 1.2.4 Captions (Live) IF live synchronized media includes audio, caption that audio. Review actual live output, speaker identification, synchronization and meaningful sounds; a future transcript does not meet the live-caption obligation. Level AA
• 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) IF recorded synchronized video contains meaningful visual information not already conveyed by its soundtrack, supply audio description. A transcript alone is not the AA substitute. Record why additional description is unnecessary when existing audio already conveys everything relevant. Level AA
• 1.3.1 Info and Relationships IF presentation conveys structure or relationships, expose those relationships programmatically or in text. Inspect headings, grouped fields, tables, required-field meaning and reading structure; visual styling alone is insufficient. Level A
• 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence IF reading order changes meaning, ensure a meaningful order can be determined programmatically. Compare source order, visual layout and assistive-technology reading after responsive rearrangement. Level A
• 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics IF instructions identify an action or object through shape, position, size, orientation or sound, add an identification method that does not depend solely on those characteristics. Replace instructions such as click the green circle on the right with a meaningful name. Level A
• 1.3.4 Orientation IF content supports display and operation, do not restrict it to only portrait or only landscape unless that orientation is essential. Test both orientations; convenience or a preferred mockup is not evidence of essentiality. Level AA
• 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose IF a field collects information about the user covered by the WCAG input-purpose taxonomy AND the technology supports identification, encode that purpose programmatically. Check appropriate autocomplete tokens and actual field purpose rather than blindly adding tokens everywhere. Level AA
• 1.4.1 Use of Color IF color conveys meaning, action, response or distinction, provide an additional visual cue. A programmatic label alone does not give a sighted person who cannot distinguish the colors an equivalent visual cue. Level A
• 1.4.2 Audio Control IF audio starts automatically AND lasts more than three seconds, provide pause/stop OR an independent volume control. Muting the entire device is not an adequate substitute. Include third-party content. Level A
• 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) IF non-exempt text is ordinary sized, require at least 4.5:1; IF it is large-scale, require at least 3:1. Large-scale includes 18pt regular or 14pt bold, with equivalent-size language qualifications. Review incidental/inactive/logotype exceptions. Never round a failing ratio upward. Level AA
• 1.4.4 Resize Text IF text is not within the caption/image-of-text exclusions, verify resizing to 200% without losing information or functionality and without requiring assistive technology. Check labels, controls and all revealed states. Level AA
• 1.4.5 Images of Text IF supported technology can present the required appearance using text, use text rather than a picture of it. Review the user-customizable and essential-presentation exceptions; logotypes fall within essential presentation. Level AA
• 1.4.10 Reflow IF content scrolls vertically, test at a width equivalent to 320 CSS pixels; IF horizontally, test at a height equivalent to 256 CSS pixels. Preserve information and operation without two-dimensional scrolling, apart from parts whose use or meaning genuinely requires a two-dimensional layout. Level AA
• 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast IF visual information is needed to identify controls, their states or meaningful graphical objects, require at least 3:1 against adjacent colors. Assess inactive controls, unmodified browser controls and essential graphic-presentation exceptions. Do not require every decorative border to meet this criterion. Level AA
• 1.4.12 Text Spacing IF supported markup text permits these properties, test simultaneous overrides: line height 1.5 times font size, paragraph spacing 2 times, letter spacing 0.12 times, word spacing 0.16 times. No information or function may be lost. Apply language/script qualifications; these are test settings, not compulsory design defaults. Level AA
• 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus IF hover/focus reveals additional content, keep it available long enough, allow pointer entry when hover-triggered, and enable dismissal without moving hover/focus when required. Check the dismissal exceptions for error messages or non-obscuring content, and the unmodified-browser-presentation exception. Level AA

Operable

• 2.1.1 Keyboard IF content provides functionality, make it operable through a keyboard interface without precisely timed keystrokes. Only functions intrinsically dependent on the movement path qualify for the path exception; choosing drag as an input technique does not create an exception. Level A
• 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap IF focus enters a component by keyboard, provide a keyboard route out. Explain nonstandard exit methods. An operable modal with a discoverable close mechanism may contain focus temporarily without constituting an inescapable trap. Level A
• 2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts IF a shortcut uses only printable characters, let users disable it OR remap it to include a non-printable key OR limit its activation to the focused component. Test dictation and text entry for accidental activation. Level A
• 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable IF content imposes a time limit, offer advance disablement OR adjustment to at least ten times the default OR warning with at least 20 seconds to extend and at least ten extensions. Evaluate real-time, essential and longer-than-20-hour exceptions individually. Level A
• 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide IF automatic moving/blinking/scrolling information lasts over five seconds beside other content, provide pause/stop/hide unless essential. Automatic parallel information updates need pause/stop/hide or frequency control unless essential; this second branch has no five-second grace period. Level A
• 2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold IF content flashes, keep it to at most three flashes within any one-second period OR establish that it is below both defined general-flash and red-flash thresholds. Use safe technical analysis; do not ask a vulnerable person to watch suspected hazardous flashing. Level A
• 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks IF blocks repeat across pages, provide a way to skip them. Exercise the actual bypass destination and keyboard behavior rather than recording only the existence of a skip-link element. Level A
• 2.4.2 Page Titled FOR EACH web page, provide a title that communicates its subject or purpose. Include route changes and document views in the test inventory; a nonempty but generic title may still be unhelpful. Level A
• 2.4.3 Focus Order IF sequential navigation affects meaning or operation, preserve an understandable and usable focus sequence. Assess after deletion, insertion, validation, modal closing and responsive reordering. Level A
• 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) FOR EACH link, its text alone OR its text plus programmatically determinable context must communicate purpose, except where the purpose is ambiguous for people generally. Stronger standalone link naming may be a product policy, not the A-level minimum. Level A
• 2.4.5 Multiple Ways IF a page belongs to a set of pages, provide more than one means of finding it, except for pages that are process steps or process results. Record actual navigational paths, not only the presence of a search icon. Level AA
• 2.4.6 Headings and Labels IF headings or labels are supplied, ensure they describe their content or purpose. This criterion addresses descriptiveness; structural semantics and required input instructions are separate obligations. Level AA
• 2.4.7 Focus Visible IF an interface is keyboard operable, supply a mode in which keyboard focus remains visibly identifiable. Test real rendered focus in every relevant theme and state; a CSS rule existing in source is not proof of a visible result. Level AA
• 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) IF a control receives keyboard focus, author-created content must not hide it entirely. Review sticky headers, consent banners and overlays. Apply the criterion notes for user-movable content and user-opened content that can be dismissed without advancing focus. Level AA
• 2.5.1 Pointer Gestures IF an author-controlled function uses a multipoint or path-based gesture, provide single-pointer operation without a path-dependent gesture unless the complex gesture is essential. Browser and assistive-technology interactions are outside the authored-content obligation. Level A
• 2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation FOR single-pointer functions, do not execute on press-down OR complete on release with abort/undo OR reverse press-down effects on release OR establish essential press-down behavior. Check accidental presses and moving off a target before release. Level A
• 2.5.3 Label in Name IF a control has a visible text label, include that text in its accessible name. Starting the name with the visible label is a useful implementation default; verify the resulting accessible name, not merely one attribute. Level A
• 2.5.4 Motion Actuation IF device/body movement activates a function, provide control-based operation AND allow motion response to be disabled. Review essential-motion and accessibility-supported-interface exceptions; do not equate this with reducing visual animation. Level A
• 2.5.7 Dragging Movements IF a function requires dragging, provide a single-pointer, non-drag method unless dragging is essential or the behavior is unmodified browser functionality. A keyboard-only alternative does not by itself satisfy this pointer-specific criterion. Level AA
• 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) FOR pointer targets, use at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels OR establish a valid spacing, equivalent-control, inline, unmodified-browser or essential-presentation exception. For spacing, centered 24px-diameter circles around undersized targets must avoid other targets and other undersized-target circles. Level AA

Understandable

• 3.1.1 Language of Page FOR EACH page, identify the predominant human language programmatically. Verify that the declaration matches the content, including localized routes. Level A
• 3.1.2 Language of Parts IF a passage changes human language, identify its language programmatically. Review exclusions for names, technical terms, indeterminate-language words and expressions adopted into surrounding usage. Level AA
• 3.2.1 On Focus IF a control gains focus, do not initiate a change of context merely because of focus. Opening a new page or submitting a form is different from a local content reveal; assess the actual effect. Level A
• 3.2.2 On Input IF changing a control setting automatically changes context, advise users of that behavior before they operate it. Explicitly activating a navigation or submit control is not the same as changing an input setting. Level A
• 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation IF navigation mechanisms recur across the page set, preserve their relative ordering unless the user initiates a change. Additional context-specific items do not automatically violate relative consistency. Level AA
• 3.2.4 Consistent Identification IF components perform the same function across the page set, identify them consistently. Review terminology, symbols and accessible names while preserving distinctions between genuinely different actions. Level AA
• 3.2.6 Consistent Help IF qualifying help mechanisms recur across pages, keep their position relative to other page content consistent unless the user initiates a change. This is not a blanket requirement to add a chat widget to every page. Level A
• 3.3.1 Error Identification IF the system detects invalid input, identify the affected item and explain the error in text. A red border or an unexplained failed submission is insufficient. Level A
• 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions IF content asks for input, supply labels or instructions explaining what is expected. Check required information, formatting and option meaning. This is separate from whether a control has a programmatic name. Level A
• 3.3.3 Error Suggestion IF an input error is automatically detected AND a correction is known, communicate the correction unless doing so would undermine security or the content purpose. Generic failure wording is not adequate when a safe, specific remedy is available. Level AA
• 3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) IF a page creates a legal/financial commitment, modifies or deletes user-controllable stored data, or submits test responses, provide reversal OR checking with correction OR review/confirmation/correction before finalization. All three are not universally mandatory. Level AA
• 3.3.7 Redundant Entry IF information already entered by or supplied to a user is requested again within the same process, prefill it OR offer selection. Review essentiality, security and no-longer-valid-information exceptions; unrelated sessions are not automatically one process. Level A
• 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) FOR EACH authentication step, avoid mandatory cognitive tests OR supply a non-cognitive alternative, an assisting mechanism, or an allowed object-recognition/personal-content route. Review password-manager and paste support, including one-time codes. The allowed alternatives do not remove other criteria. Level AA

Robust

• 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value FOR EACH control, expose a meaningful name and role, support programmatic setting of user-changeable properties, and expose changes in states/values to user agents and assistive technology. Evaluate dynamic behavior as well as initial markup. Level A
• 4.1.3 Status Messages IF markup presents a qualifying status update without a context change, expose its status semantics so assistive technology can present it without moving focus. Not every DOM update belongs in an assertive live region. Level AA