WCAG 2.1 & 2.2 Compliance Checker
The global technical standard for web accessibility. Every major accessibility law in the world references WCAG.
What is WCAG 2.1/2.2?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and represent the international technical standard for web accessibility. WCAG 2.1, published in 2018, added 17 new success criteria on top of WCAG 2.0 — primarily focused on mobile, low vision, and cognitive disabilities. WCAG 2.2, published in 2023, added 9 more criteria. The AA conformance level is the target referenced by the ADA, Section 508, EAA, AODA, BITV, RGAA, and virtually every other modern accessibility regulation. If you meet WCAG 2.1 AA, you are substantially compliant with most global accessibility laws.
Who Needs to Comply?
- Any website or web application aiming for global accessibility compliance
- Organizations subject to any of the world's major accessibility laws
- Software vendors, SaaS platforms, and API providers
- Content creators, publishers, and media organizations
- Anyone who wants their site to work for people with disabilities
Penalties for Non-Compliance
WCAG 2.1/2.2 Compliance: The Complete Guide
What Is WCAG?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the global standard for digital accessibility, published by the W3C. WCAG defines how to make web content accessible to people with disabilities — visual, auditory, motor, cognitive, and neurological. The guidelines are technology-agnostic and apply to websites, web apps, documents, and increasingly to mobile apps.
Versions and Conformance Levels
WCAG has three major versions:
- WCAG 2.0 (2008) — 61 success criteria, became ISO standard, baseline for many laws
- WCAG 2.1 (2018) — Added 17 criteria for mobile, low vision, cognitive accessibility
- WCAG 2.2 (2023) — Added 9 criteria for focus, dragging, target size, authentication
Three conformance levels: Level A (minimum), Level AA (the legally referenced target), Level AAA (aspirational). AA is what every major law requires.
The Four POUR Principles
Perceivable — Text alternatives for images, captions for video, sufficient color contrast (4.5:1 for normal text), content adaptable to different presentations.
Operable — Full keyboard accessibility, no keyboard traps, enough time to interact, no seizure-inducing content, consistent navigation, skip links.
Understandable — Page language declared, form labels and error messages provided, predictable behavior, consistent navigation order.
Robust — Valid semantic HTML, proper ARIA roles, content compatible with assistive technologies including screen readers.
What Changed: 2.0 to 2.1
WCAG 2.1 added 17 new criteria filling three gaps:
- Mobile (5 criteria) — Orientation, pointer gestures, pointer cancellation, motion actuation, label in name
- Low vision (4 criteria) — Reflow at 320px, non-text contrast 3:1, text spacing overrides, content on hover/focus
- Cognitive (3 criteria) — Character key shortcuts remappable, status messages via ARIA, timeout warnings
What Changed: 2.1 to 2.2
WCAG 2.2 added 9 new criteria:
- Focus Appearance (2.4.11, AA) — Focus indicators must meet minimum area and contrast
- Focus Not Obscured (2.4.12, AA) — Focused elements not hidden behind sticky headers/footers
- Dragging Movements (2.5.7, AA) — Non-dragging alternative for all drag operations
- Target Size (2.5.8, AA) — Interactive targets at least 24x24 CSS pixels
- Accessible Authentication (3.3.8, AA) — No cognitive function tests without alternatives
Laws That Reference WCAG
- ADA (US) — WCAG 2.1 AA via DOJ rulemaking and court rulings
- Section 508 (US) — WCAG 2.0 AA since 2017 refresh
- European Accessibility Act — WCAG 2.1 AA via EN 301 549
- AODA (Canada) — WCAG 2.0 AA
- BITV 2.0 (Germany), RGAA (France), DDA (Australia)
Most Common Failures
- Low color contrast (1.4.3) — found on 83% of homepages
- Missing alt text (1.1.1) — found on 58% of homepages
- Missing form labels (1.3.1) — found on 46% of homepages
- Empty links or buttons (2.4.4) — no accessible name
- Missing document language (3.1.1)
- Invalid ARIA — misused roles and broken references
How wcagrepair Helps
wcagrepair scans against WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 criteria, identifies failures with criterion references, and generates a prioritized remediation guide with exact code fixes. For $8.99, you get a complete guide covering every automated-detectable failure with copy-paste snippets and priority ranking.
WCAG 2.1/2.2 Compliance FAQ
What’s the difference between WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2?
WCAG 2.0 (2008) established 61 criteria. WCAG 2.1 (2018) added 17 for mobile, low vision, and cognitive gaps. WCAG 2.2 (2023) added 9 more for focus appearance, dragging, target sizes, and authentication. Each is backward-compatible — meeting 2.2 means you meet 2.1 and 2.0.
Do I need to meet Level A, AA, or AAA?
Level AA is the standard referenced by virtually every accessibility law. Level A leaves significant barriers. Level AAA is aspirational — the W3C says it’s not achievable as a blanket requirement. AA is the practical, legally defensible target.
Is WCAG legally binding?
WCAG itself is a technical standard, not a law. But it is incorporated by reference into laws worldwide: ADA, Section 508, EAA, AODA, BITV, RGAA, DDA. Non-compliance exposes organizations to lawsuits, regulatory action, and procurement disqualification.
How many WCAG criteria can automated tools check?
Approximately 30-40% of WCAG 2.1 AA criteria. This includes color contrast, missing alt text, form labels, heading structure, language attributes, and ARIA validity. The remaining 60-70% require human judgment. Automated scanning catches the highest-volume failures instantly.
Does WCAG apply to mobile apps?
Yes. WCAG 2.1 was specifically expanded for mobile accessibility. EN 301 549 maps WCAG criteria to mobile app requirements. WCAG 2.2 further strengthened mobile coverage with minimum target size and dragging alternatives.
How often is WCAG updated?
Major versions every 5-10 years: 2.0 (2008), 2.1 (2018), 2.2 (2023). WCAG 3.0 is in early draft but years away. WCAG 2.2 AA is the current target and will remain the legal benchmark for the foreseeable future.
How Our Scanner Helps with WCAG 2.1/2.2
Most accessibility laws reference the WCAG 2.1 AA standard as their technical baseline. Our scanner audits your site against WCAG 2.1 AA using axe-core — the same engine used by Google Lighthouse and Microsoft Accessibility Insights.
- Automated WCAG 2.1/2.2 audit mapped to WCAG 2.1 success criteria your regulation requires
- Severity breakdown by critical, major, and minor issues to prioritize remediation
- AI-generated remediation guide with copy-paste code fixes for every issue
- Ongoing monitoring to stay compliant as your site changes
- Downloadable compliance certificate showing your site's current audit status
Is Your Site WCAG 2.1/2.2 Compliant?
Find out in under 2 minutes — free.