WCAG 2.2 AA readiness checklist
A practical accessibility grid for shipping Level AA–oriented sites: contrast, keyboard, focus, target size, forms, and verification.
Perceivable
- Normal text meets ~4.5:1 contrast; large text meets ~3:1
- UI controls and meaningful icons remain distinguishable from adjacent colors
- Informative images have accurate alt text; decorative images use empty alt
- Errors and status are not conveyed by color alone
Operable
- All interactive controls work with keyboard (Tab / Enter / Space / Esc as needed)
- Focus indicators are visible; outline:none is not used without a replacement
- Sticky headers, cookies, and chat widgets do not fully hide the focused control
- Pointer targets meet 24×24 CSS pixels or a valid WCAG 2.5.8 exception
- Skip link reaches main content
Understandable
- Form inputs have visible associated labels (not placeholder-only)
- Form errors are described in text near the field
- Primary navigation and help patterns stay consistent across templates
- Page language is set (html lang) and content reads at an appropriate level
Robust & verification
- Landmarks and native controls used before ARIA role theater (button, nav, main, etc.)
- ARIA only where needed; expandable widgets expose expanded/collapsed state
- Automated scan (axe / Lighthouse) run; critical issues fixed in source
- Primary paths spot-checked with VoiceOver or NVDA