WCAG checklist: every success criterion in one table

How to use the interactive WCAG checklist

The table above lists all 86 success criteria in WCAG 2.2. Each row shows the number, the short name, the level (A, AA or AAA) and the version that first introduced it (2.0, 2.1 or 2.2). Where this site has a full guide for a criterion, the name is a link to it.

• Level filter. Tick A and AA and untick AAA to see only the 55 rows a Level AA project has to pass.
• Version filter. Leave only 2.2 ticked to see the nine rules that arrived in the newest version, or pick 2.0 and 2.1 for an older contract.
• Tick boxes. Tick a row when your team has tested it and it passes. A counter above the table keeps the total, for example “23 of 55 checked”. The count follows the filters, so it always matches the rows you can see.

Worked example. You are reviewing a sign-up form before launch. Set the level filter to A and AA and the version filter to 2.2 only. Six rows remain. You confirm that the help link sits in the same spot as on other pages (3.2.6), that the address is not asked for twice (3.3.7), that the password field accepts paste (3.3.8), that the submit button is large enough (2.5.8), that nothing needs dragging (2.5.7) and that the sticky header never hides the focused field (2.4.11). Six ticks later the counter reads “6 of 6 checked”.

Perceivable: text alternatives, media, structure and contrast

This part of the WCAG checklist is about whether people can take in the content at all, by sight, by sound or through assistive technology. Only Level A and AA items are listed, which is what most policies ask for.

• 1.1.1 Non-text content (A): photos, icons, charts and image buttons have a text alternative; purely decorative ones use an empty alt.
• 1.2.1 Audio-only and video-only (A): a recorded podcast has a transcript; a silent video has a text or audio version of what it shows.
• 1.2.2 Captions (prerecorded) (A): recorded videos with speech carry accurate, synced captions, not raw auto captions left unchecked.
• 1.2.3 Audio description or media alternative (A): visual details that matter in a video are described in audio or in a full text version.
• 1.2.4 Captions (live) (AA): live streams and webinars with sound get live captions.
• 1.2.5 Audio description (prerecorded) (AA): recorded video has audio description when the picture carries meaning the soundtrack misses.
• 1.3.1 Info and relationships (A): headings, lists, tables, form labels and required fields exist in the markup, not just in the styling.
• 1.3.2 Meaningful sequence (A): the code order reads in a sensible order when styles are switched off.
• 1.3.3 Sensory characteristics (A): instructions never depend only on shape, color, size, position or sound.
• 1.3.4 Orientation (AA): pages rotate with the device; nothing is locked to one orientation unless that is essential.
• 1.3.5 Identify input purpose (AA): fields asking for the user's own details carry the right autocomplete value.
• 1.4.1 Use of color (A): color is never the only signal; links inside paragraphs have an underline or another cue.
• 1.4.2 Audio control (A): sound that starts by itself and runs longer than 3 seconds can be paused or turned down on the page.
• 1.4.3 Contrast (minimum) (AA): regular text reaches a ratio of 4.5:1 or more against its background; large text needs 3:1.
• 1.4.4 Resize text (AA): at 200 percent zoom nothing is cut off, overlapped or lost.
• 1.4.5 Images of text (AA): headings, buttons and banners use live text, not pictures of words (logos are fine).
• 1.4.10 Reflow (AA): at 320 CSS px wide, or 400 percent zoom on a 1280 px window, content fits without sideways scrolling.
• 1.4.11 Non-text contrast (AA): input borders, focus rings, icons and chart lines reach 3:1 against what sits next to them.
• 1.4.12 Text spacing (AA): extra line, paragraph, letter and word spacing set by the user does not clip or hide text.
• 1.4.13 Content on hover or focus (AA): tooltips and popovers close with Escape, stay put when the mouse moves over them, and do not vanish on their own.

Operable: keyboard, timing, navigation and pointer input

These checks make sure every control works without a mouse, that nothing moves or times out before people can react, and that touch targets are usable.

• 2.1.1 Keyboard (A): menus, sliders, dialogs and every other control can be reached and used with Tab, Enter, Space and the arrow keys.
• 2.1.2 No keyboard trap (A): focus can always leave a component, including embedded players and chat boxes.
• 2.1.4 Character key shortcuts (A): single-letter shortcuts can be turned off, remapped, or only work when their control has focus.
• 2.2.1 Timing adjustable (A): session timeouts warn the user and let them extend the time.
• 2.2.2 Pause, stop, hide (A): carousels, tickers and background videos that move for more than 5 seconds have a pause control.
• 2.3.1 Three flashes or below threshold (A): nothing flashes more than three times in any one second.
• 2.4.1 Bypass blocks (A): a skip link or landmarks let keyboard users jump past the repeated header.
• 2.4.2 Page titled (A): each page has a title element that says what the page is about.
• 2.4.3 Focus order (A): Tab moves through the page in an order that matches its meaning; no positive tabindex.
• 2.4.4 Link purpose (in context) (A): every link makes sense from its words or its sentence; no row of identical “read more” links.
• 2.4.5 Multiple ways (AA): users can find a page in more than one way, such as a menu plus search or a site map.
• 2.4.6 Headings and labels (AA): the headings and labels you do have describe their topic or purpose.
• 2.4.7 Focus visible (AA): the keyboard focus ring is always visible; outline is not removed without a replacement.
• 2.4.11 Focus not obscured (minimum) (AA): a sticky header, cookie bar or chat button never covers the focused item completely.
• 2.5.1 Pointer gestures (A): pinch, swipe and multi-finger actions also work with a single tap or click.
• 2.5.2 Pointer cancellation (A): actions fire on release, so a user can slide off a button to cancel.
• 2.5.3 Label in name (A): the accessible name of a control contains the words printed on it.
• 2.5.4 Motion actuation (A): shake or tilt features have a button alternative and can be switched off.
• 2.5.7 Dragging movements (AA): anything done by dragging can also be done with simple clicks or taps.
• 2.5.8 Target size (minimum) (AA): buttons and icons measure 24 CSS px or more in both directions, or have room around them.

Understandable: language, predictable pages and forms

Most failures in this group show up in forms and in surprise behavior, so test them by filling in real forms with mistakes on purpose.

• 3.1.1 Language of page (A): the html element has a correct lang value.
• 3.1.2 Language of parts (AA): a quote or phrase in another language is marked with its own lang.
• 3.2.1 On focus (A): landing on a control with Tab does not submit a form or open a new window.
• 3.2.2 On input (A): picking an option in a dropdown or radio group does not jump to a new page unless the user was warned.
• 3.2.3 Consistent navigation (AA): menus repeated across pages keep the same order.
• 3.2.4 Consistent identification (AA): the same function carries the same name and icon everywhere.
• 3.2.6 Consistent help (A): contact details, chat or help links sit in the same relative place on every page that has them.
• 3.3.1 Error identification (A): a form error names the field and explains the problem in text, not by a red border alone.
• 3.3.2 Labels or instructions (A): fields show a visible label plus any format or required-field hints.
• 3.3.3 Error suggestion (AA): when the site knows how to fix an error, it says so (for example, the expected date format).
• 3.3.4 Error prevention (legal, financial, data) (AA): orders, payments and legal submissions can be reviewed, corrected or reversed.
• 3.3.7 Redundant entry (A): details already given in the same process are filled in again or offered for selection.
• 3.3.8 Accessible authentication (minimum) (AA): logging in does not demand a memory or puzzle test; password managers and paste are allowed.

Robust: code that assistive technology can read

The last principle has only two criteria in WCAG 2.2, but they catch a large share of the bugs in custom components.

• 4.1.2 Name, role, value (A): custom toggles, tabs and menus tell assistive technology what they are called, what kind of control they are, and their current state.
• 4.1.3 Status messages (AA): messages such as “3 results” or “Added to basket” are announced without moving focus.

Success criteria guides on this site

Each guide below explains one criterion in plain words, shows how to test it, lists the usual failures and gives a code fix. Contrast has its own pages too: the contrast checker tool and the rules for contrast ratios.

WCAG 2.2 new success criteria

Version 2.2 added nine criteria. Six are A or AA level, so every AA checklist needs them:

• 2.4.11 Focus not obscured (minimum), AA
• 2.5.7 Dragging movements, AA
• 2.5.8 Target size (minimum), AA
• 3.2.6 Consistent help, A
• 3.3.7 Redundant entry, A
• 3.3.8 Accessible authentication (minimum), AA

The other three are AAA: 2.4.12 Focus not obscured (enhanced), 2.4.13 Focus appearance and 3.3.9 Accessible authentication (enhanced). For the reasons behind each change and the work they create, read the WCAG 2.2 overview and the WCAG 2.2 AA planning guide.

How many success criteria are in WCAG 2.2?

The count changed with every release. Use this table when a contract names an older version.

AAA rows stay in the tool so you can see them, but W3C does not recommend AAA as a blanket target for whole sites, since some content simply cannot meet it. Pick individual AAA items where they help your users. The page on levels A, AA and AAA covers that choice.

Turning a WCAG compliance checklist into a test plan

A list of criteria tells you what to check, not how. A sensible order for one page or template:

1. Run an automated scan to clear the easy, code-level problems. See WCAG checkers for options and limits.
2. Put the mouse away and use only the keyboard. This covers 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.4.3, 2.4.7 and 2.4.11 in one pass.
3. Zoom to 200 and then 400 percent, and apply larger text spacing (1.4.4, 1.4.10, 1.4.12).
4. Listen with a screen reader for names, roles, headings and status messages (1.1.1, 1.3.1, 4.1.2, 4.1.3).
5. Submit forms with errors and check labels, messages and autocomplete (3.3.1, 3.3.2, 1.3.5).
6. Review media, contrast and motion last.

The accessibility testing guide expands each step, and screen reader testing explains what to listen for.

WCAG quick reference, PDF copies and the 2.1 checklist

The official source is W3C. Its WCAG 2.2 quick reference lists every criterion with techniques and failures and can be filtered by level, and the Understanding WCAG 2.2 pages explain the intent of each one. Both are informative guidance; the binding text is the WCAG 2.2 standard itself.

Looking for a WCAG checklist PDF? Most PDFs that circulate are copies made by other organisations, and many still show 2.1 without the 2.2 changes. To get a printable copy you can trust, use your browser's print option on this page or on the W3C quick reference and save as PDF.