There are four WCAG versions that matter: 1.0 from 1999, 2.0 from December 2008, 2.1 from June 2018 and 2.2 from October 2023, which is the current version, while WCAG 3.0 is still an unfinished draft. Each 2.x release keeps the criteria of the one before and adds more, so the newest one covers them all.
If you only need the short answer: build to 2.2 AA, and check which version your law or contract names, since many still name an older release.
Quick facts
Current version
WCAG 2.2, published October 2023.
Most cited in law
WCAG 2.1 AA, with 2.0 AA in older rules.
WCAG 2.3
Does not exist. There is no draft and no release date.
WCAG 3.0
A working draft with no finish date, required by nobody yet.
Compatibility
Meeting 2.2 also satisfies 2.1 and 2.0 at the same level.
All WCAG versions at a glance
Here is the whole history on one screen, with the numbers that change what you have to test.
| Version | Status today | Criteria (A / AA / AAA) | Needed for AA | Recommendation date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WCAG 1.0 | Superseded | 14 guidelines with checkpoints | Priority 1 and 2 | May 1999 |
| WCAG 2.0 | Valid, adopted by ISO as 40500 | 61 (25 / 13 / 23) | 38 | December 2008 |
| WCAG 2.1 | Valid, most cited in law | 78 (30 / 20 / 28) | 50 | June 2018 |
| WCAG 2.2 | Current version | 86 (31 / 24 / 31) | 55 | October 2023 |
| WCAG 3.0 | Draft, not final | Outcomes, not criteria | Not defined | Not yet |
WCAG 1.0 and the jump to 2.0
WCAG 1.0 was built around the HTML of its day. It had 14 guidelines, each with checkpoints sorted into Priority 1, 2 and 3, and conformance was called A, Double-A or Triple-A. Many checkpoints named specific technologies, which aged quickly. No current law relies on it, and you will only meet it in very old policies.
The big change in 2.0 was a move to technology neutral, criteria you can test, sorted beneath four principles. That design is why the 2.x family has lasted so long: new criteria can be slotted in without rewriting the old ones.
What each 2.x update added
Each step added criteria for needs that had grown more visible. These are the headline additions.
| Step | Criteria added | Focus of the new criteria | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 to 2.1 | 17 | Phones and tablets, low vision, cognitive needs | Orientation, reflow, non-text contrast, text spacing, status messages |
| 2.1 to 2.2 | 9 added, 1 removed | Focus, pointer use, help and logins | Focus not obscured, dragging, target size, accessible authentication |
The removed criterion is 4.1.1 Parsing. Modern browsers and assistive technology repair markup errors the same way, so W3C judged it obsolete and now regards it as automatically satisfied in HTML. Read the W3C summary of the 2.2 changes for the official list.
The current WCAG version
The current version of WCAG is 2.2. It is a stable W3C Recommendation, and W3C encourages everyone to use it. Older versions have not been withdrawn, which is why laws can still point at 2.0 or 2.1 without being out of date in a legal sense.
Build to 2.2 AA even when the rule you follow names 2.1. Because of backward compatibility you lose nothing, and you will not need a second project when the rule is updated.
WCAG 2.3 and the meaning of WCAG 2
WCAG 2.3 does not exist, and there is no release date for it. W3C has said it may publish small updates to the 2.x line in the future, yet no 2.3 working draft has appeared. Pages that list "WCAG 2.3 requirements" are guessing.
"WCAG 2" on its own is a common shorthand for the whole 2.x family. A contract that says "WCAG 2 AA" is ambiguous, so ask which minor version is meant. The difference between 38, 50 and 55 criteria is not small.
Treat any vendor claim of "WCAG 2.3 ready" or "WCAG 3 certified" with suspicion. Neither standard exists in final form.
Which of the WCAG versions to follow
Use the version that the strictest rule you face asks for, and never one older than that.
| If you are | Rules usually name | Build to |
|---|---|---|
| A US federal agency or vendor | 2.0 AA through Section 508 | 2.2 AA |
| A US business or local government | 2.1 AA | 2.2 AA |
| Selling into the EU | EN 301 549 (matches 2.1 AA) | 2.2 AA |
| A UK public body | 2.2 AA | 2.2 AA |
| Covered by AODA in Ontario | 2.0 AA | 2.2 AA |
| Writing a new procurement policy | Your choice | Name 2.2 AA explicitly |
The legal background for each region is in accessibility laws. The levels guide explains why AA rather than AAA, and the 2.2 AA guide lists the 55 criteria.
Backward compatibility between versions
WCAG 2.x is designed so that every later version is a superset of the earlier one at each level. In practice:
- A page that conforms to 2.2 AA also conforms at AA to both earlier 2.x releases.
- A page that conforms to 2.1 AA may still fail 2.2 AA, because of the four new AA criteria and two new A criteria.
- The only exception is 4.1.1, which exists in 2.0 and 2.1 but not 2.2; W3C notes that it is always satisfied for HTML content.
That makes upgrading a matter of adding tests, not redoing the earlier work. The checklist can filter by the release that brought in each criterion, letting you test just the additions.
Questions people ask
What is the current version of WCAG?
Version 2.2, finalised by W3C in October 2023. It has 86 success criteria, 55 of them needed for level AA.
When is the WCAG 2.3 release date?
There is none. WCAG 2.3 has not been drafted, and W3C has not announced it. W3C has only said it may make small 2.x updates someday, so keep using 2.2.
Is WCAG 2.0 still valid?
Yes. It has not been withdrawn, and Section 508 in the US and AODA in Ontario still refer to it. It is simply the smallest set of criteria, so new work should go further.
What does WCAG 2 mean?
It is a loose way of saying the 2.x family of versions: 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2. Because the three have different numbers of criteria, ask which one a contract really means.
When will WCAG 3.0 replace WCAG 2.2?
Nobody knows. The 3.0 text is still in draft form, W3C has not committed to a date, and laws will take further time to adopt it once finished. Plan around 2.2 for now.