WCAG AA is the middle of the three conformance levels, and it is the one laws, contracts and courts nearly always ask for: under WCAG 2.2 it means passing all 31 level A criteria plus 24 level AA criteria, 55 in total. Level A removes the worst blockers, AA makes a site genuinely usable, and AAA is a stretch goal for specific content.
This page compares A, AA and AAA side by side, lists every AA criterion in WCAG 2.2, and explains why W3C itself warns against requiring AAA for a whole site.
Quick facts
WCAG 2.2 AA
55 criteria: 31 at A and 24 at AA.
WCAG 2.1 AA
50 criteria: 30 at A and 20 at AA.
WCAG 2.0 AA
38 criteria: 25 at A and 13 at AA.
Text contrast at AA
4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text.
AAA for whole sites
Not recommended by W3C as a general policy.
The three WCAG levels in one table
Each success criterion is given one level when it is written. The levels are cumulative: to claim AA you meet everything at A and AA, and to claim AAA you meet all three.
| Level | What it targets | Typical examples | Who asks for it |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Barriers that stop people completely | Alt text, keyboard access, no keyboard traps, page titles, form labels | Nobody stops here on purpose; it is the floor |
| AA | Barriers that make use hard or tiring | Contrast for text, zoom and reflow, a focus indicator you can see, consistent menus, announced status updates | Laws, public sector policies, procurement, settlements |
| AAA | Extra support for specific groups | 7:1 contrast, sign language for video, reading level, 44 px targets | Specialist services and selected pages |
How many criteria each level has
The number of criteria at each level has grown with every version. These are the counts to plan against.
| Version | Needed for an AA claim | Of those, at A | Of those, at AA | Extra AAA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WCAG 2.0 | 38 | 25 | 13 | 23 |
| WCAG 2.1 | 50 | 30 | 20 | 28 |
| WCAG 2.2 | 55 | 31 | 24 | 31 |
WCAG 2.2 removed one level A criterion, 4.1.1 Parsing, and added nine others, which is why the A count rose by only one. The 2.1 AA list and the 2.2 AA list go through each set in turn.
Every WCAG AA criterion in version 2.2
These 24 criteria are the ones that sit at level AA itself in WCAG 2.2. An AA claim needs all of them plus every level A criterion. Short descriptions are our own wording.
| Number | What it asks for | Added in |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2.4 | Captions for live video with sound | 2.0 |
| 1.2.5 | Audio description for recorded video | 2.0 |
| 1.3.4 | Content works in portrait and landscape | 2.1 |
| 1.3.5 | Autocomplete values on personal data fields | 2.1 |
| 1.4.3 | Readable text contrast against its background | 2.0 |
| 1.4.4 | Text zooms to 200 percent without loss | 2.0 |
| 1.4.5 | Real text instead of pictures of words | 2.0 |
| 1.4.10 | One column layout at 320 CSS px | 2.1 |
| 1.4.11 | Visible edges on inputs, icons and chart parts | 2.1 |
| 1.4.12 | Layout survives user text spacing | 2.1 |
| 1.4.13 | Popups that appear on hover behave politely | 2.1 |
| 2.4.5 | More than one way to find a page | 2.0 |
| 2.4.6 | Descriptive headings and field labels | 2.0 |
| 2.4.7 | A visible keyboard focus indicator | 2.0 |
| 2.4.11 | Focused items not hidden behind sticky parts | 2.2 |
| 2.5.7 | A single pointer option for anything dragged | 2.2 |
| 2.5.8 | Small targets need breathing room | 2.2 |
| 3.1.2 | Language changes inside a page are marked | 2.0 |
| 3.2.3 | Menus repeat in the same order | 2.0 |
| 3.2.4 | Same function, same name and icon | 2.0 |
| 3.3.3 | Error messages suggest a correction | 2.0 |
| 3.3.4 | Review or undo for legal, money and data steps | 2.0 |
| 3.3.8 | Logins without memory or puzzle tests | 2.2 |
| 4.1.3 | Status messages reach screen readers | 2.1 |
For a tickable version that includes level A too, use the WCAG checklist.
WCAG AA vs AAA, criterion by criterion
Several criteria come in pairs: an AA version that every site should meet and a stricter AAA version. Comparing them shows what the jump from AA to AAA really costs.
| Topic | Level AA | Level AAA |
|---|---|---|
| Text contrast | 4.5:1 normal, 3:1 large | 7:1 normal, 4.5:1 large |
| Pointer target size | Minimum 24 px square, spacing allowed as an alternative | 44 by 44 CSS px |
| Link text | Clear from the link plus its context | Clear from the link text alone |
| Focus and sticky content | Focused item not fully hidden | Focused item not hidden at all |
| Recorded video | Captions and audio description | Sign language and extended description too |
| Logins | No cognitive test, with some allowed exceptions | No cognitive test, fewer exceptions |
Try the difference on real colors in the contrast checker, which shows the AA and AAA result for each pair.
Why AAA is not a site-wide goal
The WCAG text says plainly that AAA is not recommended as a required policy for entire sites: certain kinds of content simply cannot satisfy every AAA criterion. A video interview cannot always get a sign language version. A legal contract cannot always be rewritten to a lower secondary reading level. A brand palette may have no 7:1 combination that still looks like the brand.
What works well is choosing AAA criteria where they help most. Many teams meet 7:1 contrast for body text, use 44 px touch targets in mobile layouts, and phrase every link so it stands alone. You can mention those wins in your accessibility statement while still claiming AA overall.
Treat AAA as a menu, not a target. Pick the items your users need and that your content can support.
How to meet the AA standards
Here is a practical way to reach the AA standard without boiling the ocean.
- Fix level A first. A missing label or keyboard trap blocks people outright.
- Set design tokens that pass AA: text colors at 4.5:1, borders and icons at 3:1, a visible focus style.
- Build components once and test them: buttons, links, forms, dialogs, menus, tabs.
- Check layouts at 320 CSS px wide and with increased text spacing.
- Write content with clear headings, labels and error messages.
- Verify with the automated checkers, then keyboard and screen reader tests.
Fails AA contrast: grey #949494 on white is about 3.03:1.
.hint { color: #949494; background: #ffffff; }Passes AA: #767676 on white is about 4.54:1.
.hint { color: #767676; background: #ffffff; }Which level the law expects
When a law or contract says "accessible", it usually means AA. US settlements under the ADA, the Title II regulation for public bodies, the EU standard known as EN 301 549, India's GIGW 3.0 and the UK public sector rules all land on level AA, though the version differs. The compliance guide covers how to pick the version. The W3C quick reference can filter the standard to A and AA only.
Questions people ask
What is WCAG AA?
It is the second of three conformance levels. A page meets AA when it clears all the A and AA criteria of its WCAG version, which adds up to 55 in WCAG 2.2.
What does WCAG AAA mean?
AAA is the highest level. It adds stricter rules such as 7:1 text contrast, sign language for recorded video and 44 by 44 pixel targets. W3C does not recommend making it a blanket requirement for whole sites.
Does WCAG 2 AA mean version 2.1 at level AA?
People often say WCAG 2 AA loosely to mean any 2.x version at level AA. Contracts should name the exact version, because 2.0 AA has 38 criteria, 2.1 AA has 50 and 2.2 AA has 55.
Which WCAG compliance level do I need?
Almost always AA. It is what courts, regulators and buyers refer to. Level A alone leaves serious barriers, and full AAA is rarely achievable for a whole site.
What is the contrast requirement for WCAG AA?
Body text must reach 4.5:1 or higher. Large text, meaning about 24 CSS px regular or 18.66 CSS px bold, can drop to 3:1. Interface parts and meaningful graphics also need 3:1 under criterion 1.4.11.