How to Use This Checklist
This checklist covers all 50 WCAG 2.1 Level AA success criteria. Each item includes the criterion number, a plain-language description, and a practical test you can perform. Items are organized by WCAG's four principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.
For each item, test your site and mark it as passing, failing, or not applicable. Focus on your highest-traffic pages first: homepage, product or service pages, contact page, and any conversion-critical flows like checkout or registration.
Automated scanning tools can test approximately 20 of these 50 criteria. The remaining 30 require manual evaluation. AdaScanPro's automated scan covers all machine-testable criteria and flags areas requiring manual review.
Perceivable (16 Criteria)
Content must be presentable in ways all users can perceive.
Text Alternatives
1. Non-text Content (1.1.1 - Level A)
Every image, icon, chart, and infographic has descriptive alt text. Decorative images use empty alt attributes (alt=""). Form image buttons have descriptive alt text. CAPTCHAs provide audio alternatives.
*Test: Disable images in your browser. Can you still understand all content?*
Time-Based Media
2. Audio-Only and Video-Only (1.2.1 - Level A)
Pre-recorded audio has a text transcript. Pre-recorded video without audio has a text or audio description.
3. Captions (Pre-recorded) (1.2.2 - Level A)
All pre-recorded video with audio has synchronized captions that include dialogue and meaningful sound effects.
4. Audio Description or Media Alternative (1.2.3 - Level A)
Pre-recorded video has audio description or a full text alternative describing visual content.
5. Captions (Live) (1.2.4 - Level AA)
Live video with audio has real-time captions.
6. Audio Description (Pre-recorded) (1.2.5 - Level AA)
Pre-recorded video has audio description for visual content not conveyed through dialogue.
*Test: Watch your videos with sound off. Can you understand the content through captions alone?*
Adaptable
7. Info and Relationships (1.3.1 - Level A)
Headings use proper heading tags (h1-h6). Lists use list markup. Tables have proper headers. Form labels are programmatically associated with inputs. Required fields are indicated beyond color.
8. Meaningful Sequence (1.3.2 - Level A)
Reading order makes sense when CSS is disabled. Content flows logically in the DOM order.
9. Sensory Characteristics (1.3.3 - Level A)
Instructions do not rely solely on shape, size, visual location, or sound. "Click the green button" fails. "Click Submit" passes.
10. Orientation (1.3.4 - Level AA)
Content works in both portrait and landscape orientations unless a specific orientation is essential.
11. Identify Input Purpose (1.3.5 - Level AA)
Form fields for common personal information (name, email, phone, address) use appropriate autocomplete attributes.
*Test: Disable CSS. Does the page still make logical sense in reading order?*
Distinguishable
12. Use of Color (1.4.1 - Level A)
Color is not the only visual means of conveying information. Links are distinguishable by more than just color (underline, icon, bold). Error states use more than red color. Charts use patterns in addition to colors.
13. Audio Control (1.4.2 - Level A)
Audio that plays automatically for more than 3 seconds can be paused, stopped, or volume-controlled independently.
14. Contrast (Minimum) (1.4.3 - Level AA)
Normal text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background. Large text (18pt+ or 14pt bold+) has at least 3:1.
15. Resize Text (1.4.4 - Level AA)
Text can be resized up to 200% without assistive technology and without loss of content or functionality.
16. Images of Text (1.4.5 - Level AA)
Text is not presented as images except for logos and essential graphical representations of text.
17. Reflow (1.4.10 - Level AA)
Content reflows without horizontal scrolling at 320px width for vertical content and 256px height for horizontal content.
18. Non-Text Contrast (1.4.11 - Level AA)
User interface components and graphical objects have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 against adjacent colors.
19. Text Spacing (1.4.12 - Level AA)
No loss of content when text spacing is adjusted: line height to 1.5x, paragraph spacing to 2x, letter spacing to 0.12x, word spacing to 0.16x.
20. Content on Hover or Focus (1.4.13 - Level AA)
Tooltips and popups triggered by hover or focus are dismissible, hoverable, and persistent until dismissed.
*Test: Use a contrast checker tool on all text elements. Use browser zoom to 200%. Check all hover states.*
Operable (15 Criteria)
Users must be able to operate all interface components.
Keyboard Accessible
21. Keyboard (2.1.1 - Level A)
All functionality is available via keyboard. Navigation, forms, buttons, links, custom widgets all work with Tab, Enter, Space, and arrow keys.
22. No Keyboard Trap (2.1.2 - Level A)
Keyboard focus is never trapped in any component. Users can always navigate away using standard keyboard commands.
23. Character Key Shortcuts (2.1.4 - Level A)
Single character key shortcuts can be turned off, remapped, or are only active when the component has focus.
*Test: Navigate your entire site using only Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space, and arrow keys.*
Enough Time
24. Timing Adjustable (2.2.1 - Level A)
If content has a time limit, users can turn off, adjust, or extend the limit (at least 10x). Exceptions for real-time events and essential time limits.
25. Pause, Stop, Hide (2.2.2 - Level A)
Moving, blinking, or scrolling content that starts automatically can be paused, stopped, or hidden if it lasts more than 5 seconds. Auto-updating content can be paused, stopped, or frequency-controlled.
Seizures and Physical Reactions
26. Three Flashes or Below Threshold (2.3.1 - Level A)
No content flashes more than 3 times per second unless the flash is below general flash thresholds.
Navigable
27. Bypass Blocks (2.4.1 - Level A)
A mechanism exists to skip repetitive blocks of content (skip navigation link, landmark regions, heading structure).
28. Page Titled (2.4.2 - Level A)
Each page has a descriptive title that identifies its topic or purpose.
29. Focus Order (2.4.3 - Level A)
Tab order follows a logical, sequential reading order. Interactive elements receive focus in a meaningful sequence.
30. Link Purpose (In Context) (2.4.4 - Level A)
The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its context.
31. Multiple Ways (2.4.5 - Level AA)
More than one way to locate a page within a site (navigation, search, site map, table of contents).
32. Headings and Labels (2.4.6 - Level AA)
Headings and labels describe the topic or purpose of the content they introduce.
33. Focus Visible (2.4.7 - Level AA)
Keyboard focus indicator is visible on all interactive elements. Custom focus styles meet contrast requirements.
Input Modalities
34. Pointer Gestures (2.5.1 - Level A)
Functions that use multipoint or path-based gestures can also be operated by single pointer without path-based gesture.
35. Pointer Cancellation (2.5.2 - Level A)
Functions triggered by single pointer can be cancelled: activated on up-event, can abort or undo.
36. Label in Name (2.5.3 - Level A)
For components with visible text labels, the accessible name includes the visible text.
37. Motion Actuation (2.5.4 - Level A)
Functions triggered by device motion (shaking, tilting) have a UI control alternative and can be disabled.
*Test: Navigate with keyboard only. Check all focus states are visible. Verify skip navigation works.*
Understandable (11 Criteria)
Content and interfaces must be understandable to users.
38. Language of Page (3.1.1 - Level A)
The default human language of each page is specified in the HTML lang attribute.
39. Language of Parts (3.1.2 - Level AA)
Content in a different language from the page default has the language identified with a lang attribute.
40. On Focus (3.2.1 - Level A)
Receiving focus does not trigger a change of context (page navigation, form submission, significant content change).
41. On Input (3.2.2 - Level A)
Changing a form input does not automatically trigger a change of context unless the user is advised beforehand.
42. Consistent Navigation (3.2.3 - Level AA)
Navigation that appears on multiple pages occurs in the same relative order on each page.
43. Consistent Identification (3.2.4 - Level AA)
Components that have the same functionality are identified consistently across pages.
44. Error Identification (3.3.1 - Level A)
Input errors are automatically detected and described to the user in text. Error messages identify the field and describe the error.
45. Labels or Instructions (3.3.2 - Level A)
Labels or instructions are provided when content requires user input. Required fields are indicated. Format requirements are stated.
46. Error Suggestion (3.3.3 - Level AA)
When input errors are detected and suggestions for correction are known, suggestions are provided to the user.
47. Error Prevention - Legal, Financial, Data (3.3.4 - Level AA)
For pages with legal commitments, financial transactions, or data modification: submissions are reversible, data is checked for errors, or a confirmation mechanism is provided.
*Test: Submit forms with errors. Are errors clearly identified? Are suggestions provided?*
Robust (8 Criteria)
Content must be robust enough for assistive technologies.
48. Parsing (4.1.1 - Level A)
HTML is properly formed: unique IDs, proper nesting, complete open/close tags, no duplicate attributes. Note: WCAG 2.2 removed this criterion, but it remains good practice.
49. Name, Role, Value (4.1.2 - Level A)
All user interface components have accessible names and roles. Custom widgets use ARIA attributes correctly. State changes are programmatically communicated.
50. Status Messages (4.1.3 - Level AA)
Status messages (success notifications, error counts, search results updates) are communicated to assistive technologies without receiving focus, using ARIA live regions or role attributes.
*Test: Run an HTML validator. Test with a screen reader. Verify all custom widgets announce their purpose and state.*
Testing Tools and Resources
Automated testing (catches ~30-40% of issues):
- AdaScanPro automated scan (50+ criteria tested)
- axe DevTools browser extension
- WAVE evaluation tool
- Lighthouse accessibility audit
Manual testing (catches remaining 60-70%):
- Keyboard-only navigation testing
- Screen reader testing (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
- High contrast mode testing
- Text zoom to 200% testing
Color contrast tools:
- WebAIM Contrast Checker
- Colour Contrast Analyser
- Browser DevTools color picker
Next Steps
This checklist gives you a framework for evaluating your website's WCAG 2.1 AA compliance. For most organizations, the recommended approach is:
1. Run an automated scan to identify machine-detectable violations
2. Prioritize fixes by severity and legal risk
3. Implement fixes starting with highest-impact issues
4. Conduct manual testing on remediated pages
5. Establish ongoing monitoring to catch new violations
Scan your website free to get an instant compliance score and see which of these 50 criteria your site passes and fails.
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