WCAG basics
What is WCAG 2.2? A plain-English guide
WCAG 2.2 is the current W3C standard for accessible websites. Learn the four principles, levels A, AA and AAA, and the 9 new success criteria.
Web accessibility, explained
Make your website work for everyone
Plain-English guides, free tools and honest advice for people who build and run websites. Learn what WCAG asks for, fix the issues that matter most, and test your site the way your visitors use it.
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Shopify stores
Shopify store accessibility checklist
An area-by-area checklist for a more accessible Shopify store: theme, alt text, colors, headings, forms, pop-ups, apps, your statement and testing.
WCAG basics
Do accessibility overlays and widgets work?
What accessibility overlays and widgets can and can't do, why disability advocates criticize them, and what actually makes a website accessible.
Browse by topic
- WCAG basicsWhat the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines ask for, in plain English.
- Design and colorContrast, color, typography, focus styles and layouts that work for everyone.
- Content and writingAlt text, headings, link text, captions and plain language.
- CodeSemantic HTML, keyboard access, forms and ARIA, with examples.
- TestingHow to check a site with automated tools, a keyboard and a screen reader.
- Law and policyThe ADA, the European Accessibility Act and accessibility statements. Not legal advice.
- Shopify storesStep-by-step accessibility fixes for Shopify themes, products and checkout.
Latest guides
Content and writing
How to write alt text, with examples for online stores
Write alt text that helps: what to say for product photos, logos, icons and charts, when to leave it empty, and how to add it in Shopify.
Law and policy
How to write an accessibility statement
What to include in an accessibility statement, how to describe conformance honestly, a copy-and-edit template, and where to publish it on Shopify.
Code
Keyboard accessibility: how to test and fix your site
A 5-minute keyboard test for any website, the WCAG criteria behind it, and code fixes for focus styles, skip links, tab order and modals.
Law and policy
The European Accessibility Act for online stores
What the European Accessibility Act means for online stores: who it covers, what it requires, the standards behind it and a practical Shopify checklist.
Design and color
WCAG color contrast requirements: ratios, rules and fixes
WCAG contrast rules in plain English: 4.5:1 for text, 3:1 for large text, buttons and icons, what's exempt, and how to fix colors that fail.
How we write about accessibility
We cite the source
Every WCAG claim links to the W3C's own explanation, and every legal claim to the law itself. You can check our work.
No compliance promises
No tool, widget or checklist makes a site compliant on its own. We tell you what each one does, and what's still on you.
We practice what we preach
This site aims for WCAG 2.2 AA and is tested by keyboard and with automated checks. Read our accessibility statement.