Why You Need an Accessibility Audit Checklist
An accessibility audit checklist ensures consistent, thorough evaluation of your website's accessibility. It helps identify barriers for users with disabilities and ensures WCAG 2.2 compliance while providing a systematic approach to accessibility testing.
Pre-Audit Preparation
- Define audit scope: Identify key pages and user journeys to test
- Set up testing environment: Install necessary tools and browsers
- Determine WCAG level: Choose target conformance level (A, AA, AAA)
- Gather stakeholder requirements: Understand business and legal requirements
- Document baseline: Record current accessibility status
Automated Testing Checklist
Essential Automated Testing Tools
- axe DevTools: Browser extension for comprehensive automated testing
- WAVE: Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool
- Lighthouse: Built into Chrome DevTools for accessibility audits
- Pa11y: Command line accessibility testing tool
- axe-core: Programmatic accessibility testing
Automated Testing Checklist Items
- Missing alternative text for images
- Insufficient color contrast ratios
- Form fields without associated labels
- Missing or improper heading structure
- Missing page titles and meta descriptions
- Keyboard navigation and focus issues
- Missing ARIA labels and descriptions
- Invalid HTML markup
- Missing language attributes
- Duplicate or missing IDs
Manual Testing Checklist
Keyboard Navigation Testing
- All interactive elements are keyboard accessible
- Focus indicators are clearly visible
- Tab order follows logical sequence
- No keyboard traps exist
- Skip links function properly
- Dropdown menus work with keyboard
- Modal dialogs trap focus appropriately
- Custom widgets respond to keyboard input
- Form submission works with keyboard
- Video controls are keyboard accessible
Screen Reader Testing
- Test with NVDA (Windows) and VoiceOver (Mac)
- All content is announced appropriately
- Form labels and instructions are clear
- Error messages are associated with form fields
- Landmark regions are properly identified
- Tables have proper headers and captions
- Links have descriptive text
- Images have meaningful alt text
- Dynamic content updates are announced
- Page structure is logical when linearized
WCAG 2.2 Success Criteria Checklist
Level A Requirements
- 1.1.1 Non-text Content - Alt text for images
- 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)
- 1.3.1 Info and Relationships - Semantic markup
- 1.4.1 Use of Color - Don't rely solely on color
- 2.1.1 Keyboard - All functionality keyboard accessible
- 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks - Skip navigation links
- 3.2.6 Consistent Help (NEW in WCAG 2.2)
- 3.3.7 Redundant Entry (NEW in WCAG 2.2)
Level AA Requirements
- 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) - 4.5:1 for normal text
- 1.4.4 Resize text - 200% zoom without horizontal scroll
- 2.4.11 Focus Appearance (NEW in WCAG 2.2)
- 2.5.7 Dragging Movements (NEW in WCAG 2.2)
- 2.5.8 Target Size (NEW in WCAG 2.2)
- 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (NEW in WCAG 2.2)
- 4.1.3 Status Messages - Live regions for updates
Content-Specific Audit Items
Images and Media
- Meaningful images have descriptive alt text
- Decorative images have empty alt attributes (alt="")
- Complex images have extended descriptions
- Videos have captions and transcripts
- Audio content has transcripts
- Image maps have accessible alternatives
- SVGs have appropriate titles and descriptions
Forms and Interactive Elements
- All form fields have associated labels
- Required fields are clearly indicated
- Error messages are descriptive and helpful
- Form instructions are provided when needed
- Field validation is accessible
- Custom form controls have proper ARIA
- Form submission confirmation is provided
Navigation and Structure
- Page has descriptive title
- Heading structure is logical (H1-H6)
- Navigation is consistent across pages
- Breadcrumbs are available and accessible
- Search functionality is accessible
- Site map is available
Mobile and Touch Device Testing
- Touch targets are at least 44px by 44px
- Content reflows properly on mobile
- Zoom up to 400% without horizontal scroll
- Orientation changes work properly
- Mobile-specific accessibility features work
Documentation and Reporting
- Document all identified issues with severity levels
- Provide specific remediation guidance
- Include screenshots and code examples
- Prioritize fixes based on impact and effort
- Create timeline for remediation
- Assign responsibility for each issue
- Track progress and re-test fixes
Post-Audit Follow-up Checklist
- Re-test fixed issues to ensure proper implementation
- Conduct user testing with people with disabilities
- Update internal processes and guidelines
- Schedule regular accessibility audits
- Train team members on accessibility best practices
- Implement accessibility testing in CI/CD pipeline
- Create accessibility statement for website
- Set up monitoring for ongoing compliance
Get Automated Help
Use our AI Accessibility Audit Helper to get automated analysis and specific remediation recommendations for your website's accessibility issues. Get started with a comprehensive audit in minutes.
Common Audit Findings and Quick Fixes
Missing Alt Text
Found in 70% of audits
Fix: Add descriptive alt attributes to all informative images, empty alt="" for decorative images.
Low Color Contrast
Found in 83% of audits
Fix: Ensure 4.5:1 ratio for normal text, 3:1 for large text. Use our contrast checker tool.
Missing Form Labels
Found in 59% of audits
Fix: Associate every form input with a label using for/id or aria-labelledby.
Conclusion
This comprehensive accessibility audit checklist ensures you don't miss critical accessibility barriers. Regular audits using this systematic approach will help maintain WCAG 2.2 compliance and create truly inclusive digital experiences.
Remember: accessibility is an ongoing process, not a one-time task. Use this checklist regularly and integrate accessibility testing into your development workflow for the best results.