WCAG Checklists

It’s extremely useful to have a WCAG checklist to hand when you’re working through the guidelines. A WCAG checklist helps you to check your web accessibility progress, record how far you’ve come and set your targets out for the future.

Wuhcag is all about holistic web accessibility – that means taking everything about your website into account. That’s why I don’t rush you to make every web accessibility change at once – it’s too much for you to do and so it’s bad for your users. I love a structured approach to everything in life, and your website is no exception.

I’ve created a three checklists for you below, with links to articles about each guideline. You can get three free PDFs checklists when you join my free newsletter, where the Wuhcag community focuses on one guideline every week.

I’ve organised my WCAG checklists by level (read more about WCAG levels here). If you’re attacking the guidelines in order (and I suggest you do), you’ll move from Level A (Beginner) through Level AA (Intermediate) and on to Level AAA (Advanced).

WCAG Checklist Level A (Beginner)

Guideline	Title	Summary
1.1.1	Non-text Content	Provide text alternatives for non-text content that serves the same purpose.
1.2.1	Audio-only and Video-only (Pre-recorded)	Provide an alternative to video-only and audio-only content.
1.2.2	Captions (Pre-recorded)	Provide captions for videos with audio.
1.2.3	Audio Description or Media Alternative (Pre-recorded)	Provide audio description or text transcript for videos with sound.
1.3.1	Info and Relationships	Content, structure and relationships can be programmatically determined.
1.3.2	Meaningful Sequence	Present content in a meaningful order.
1.3.3	Sensory Characteristics	Instructions don’t rely solely on sensory characteristics.
1.4.1	Use of Colour	Don’t use presentation that relies solely on colour.
1.4.2	Audio Control	Don’t play audio automatically.
2.1.1	Keyboard	All functionality is accessible by keyboard with no specific timings.
2.1.2	No Keyboard Trap	Users can navigate to and from all content using a keyboard.
2.1.4	Character Key Shortcuts	Allow users to turn off or remap single-key character shortcuts.
2.2.1	Timing Adjustable	Provide user controls to turn off, adjust or extend time limits.
2.2.2	Pause, Stop, Hide	Provide user controls to pause, stop and hide moving and auto-updating content.
2.3.1	Three Flashes or Below Threshold	No content flashes more than three times per second.
2.4.1	Bypass Blocks	Provide a way for users to skip repeated blocks of content.
2.4.2	Page Titled	Use helpful and clear page titles.
2.4.3	Focus Order	Components receive focus in a logical sequence.
2.4.4	Link Purpose (In Context)	Every link’s purpose is clear from its text or context.
2.4.7	Focus Visible	Keyboard focus is visible when used.
2.4.3	Page Break Navigation	Provide a way to navigate between page break locators.
2.5.1	Pointer Gestures	Multi-point and path-based gestures can be operated with a single pointer.
2.5.2	Pointer Cancellation	Functions don’t complete on the down-click of a pointer.
2.5.3	Label in Name	Where a component has a text label, the name of the component also contains the text displayed.
2.5.4	Motion Actuation	Functions operated by motion can also be operated through an interface and responding to motion can be disabled.
3.1.1	Language of Page	Each webpage has a default human language assigned.
3.2.1	On Focus	Elements do not change when they receive focus.
3.2.2	On Input	Elements do not change when they receive input.
3.2.6	Consistent Help	Help options are presented in the same order.
3.3.1	Error Identification	identify and describe input errors for users.
3.3.2	Labels or Instructions	Provide labels or instructions for user input.
3.3.7	Redundant Entry	Auto-fill or provide information that’s required more than once in the same process.
4.1.1	Parsing	No major code errors
4.1.2	Name, Role, Value	The name and role of user components can be understood by technology.

WCAG Checklist Level AA (Intermediate)

Guideline	Summary
1.2.4 – Captions (Live)	Add captions to live videos.
1.2.5 – Audio Description (Pre-recorded)	Provide audio descriptions for pre-recorded videos.
1.3.4 – Orientation	Your website adapts to portrait and landscape views.
1.3.5 – Identify Input Purpose	The purpose of input fields must be programmatically determinable.
1.4.3 – Contrast (Minimum)	Contrast ratio between text and background is at least 4.5:1.
1.4.4 – Resize Text	Text can be resized to 200% without loss of content or function.
1.4.5 – Images of Text	Don’t use images of text.
1.4.10 – Reflow	Content retains meaning and function without scrolling in two dimensions.
1.4.11 – Non-Text Contrast	The contrast between user interface components, graphics and adjacent colours is at least 3:1.
1.4.12 – Text Spacing	Content and function retain meaning when users change elements of text spacing.
1.4.13 – Content on Hover or Focus	When hover or focus triggers content to appear, it is dismissible, hoverable and persistent.
2.4.5 – Multiple Ways	Offer at least two ways to find pages on your website.
2.4.6 – Headings and Labels	Headings and labels describe topic or purpose.
2.4.11 – Focus Appearance (Minimum)	Focus indicators are clearly distinguishable when active.
2.5.7 – Dragging Movements	Functionality that uses dragging movements can be achieved with a single pointer without dragging.
2.5.8 – Target Size (Minimum)	The target size for pointer inputs is at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels.
3.1.2 – Language of Parts	Each part of a webpage has a default human language assigned.
3.2.3 – Consistent Navigation	Position menus and standard controls consistently.
3.2.4 – Consistent Identification	Identify components with the same function consistently.
3.2.7 – Visible Controls	Give users a way to identify controls without mouse hover or keyboard focus.
3.3.3 – Error Suggestion	Suggest corrections when users make mistakes.
3.3.4- Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data)	Check, confirm and allow reversal of pages that cause important commitments.
3.3.8 – Accessible Authentication	Don’t authenticate users through memory, transcription or cognitive tests without alternatives.
4.1.3 – Status Messages	Alert users to changes in content that aren’t given focus.

WCAG Checklist Level AAA (Advanced)

Guideline	Summary
1.2.6 – Sign Language (Pre-recorded)	Provide sign language translations for pre-recorded videos.
1.2.7 – Extended Audio description (Pre-recorded)	Provide extended audio descriptions for pre-recorded videos.
1.2.8 – Media Alternative (Pre-recorded)	Provide text alternatives for pre-recorded videos.
1.2.9 – Audio Only (Live)	Provide alternatives for live audio.
1.3.6 – Identify Purpose	The purpose of all components must be programmatically determinable.
1.4.6 – Contrast (Enhanced)	Contrast ratio between text and background is at least 7:1.
1.4.7 – Low or No Background Audio	Audio-only content is clear with no or minimal background noise.
1.4.8 – Visual Presentation	Offer users a range of presentation options for blocks of text.
1.4.9 – Images of Text (No Exception)	Don’t use images of text.
2.1.3 – Keyboard (No Exception)	All functionality is accessible by keyboard with no exceptions.
2.2.3 – No Timing	No time limits on your website.
2.2.4 – Interruptions	Users can postpone or supress non-emergency interruptions.
2.2.5 – Re-authenticating	Save user data when re-authenticating.
2.2.6 – Timeouts	Warn users about timeouts that cause data loss.
2.3.2 – Three Flashes	No content flashes more than three times per second.
2.3.3 – Animation from Interactions	Users can disable motion animation.
2.4.8 – Location	Let users know where they are on your website.
2.4.9 – Link Purpose (Link Only)	Every link’s purpose is clear from its text.
2.4.10 – Section Headings	Organise content with headings.
2.4.12 – Focus Appearance (Enhanced)	Focus indicators are more clearly distinguishable when active.
2.5.5 – Target Size	The target size for pointer inputs is at least 44 by 44 CSS pixels.
2.5.6 – Concurrent Input Mechanisms	No restrictions on modes of input.
3.1.3 – Unusual Words	Define any unusual words or phrases.
3.1.4 – Abbreviations	Define any abbreviations.
3.1.5 – Reading Level	Users with nine years of schooling can read your content.
3.1.6 – Pronunciation	Define words where meaning is ambiguous without pronunciation.
3.2.5 – Change on Request	Elements do not change without a request.
3.3.5 – Help	Provide help to users.
3.3.6 – Error Prevention (All)	Check, confirm and allow reversal of pages that require users to submit information.
3.3.9 – Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)	Don’t authenticate users through memory, transcription or cognitive tests.

Find out more

• WebAIM have a checklist too
• W3C’s checklist
• Penn State University has a good summary of the guidelines