WCAG Accessibility Checker
Fast, secure, client-side utility running entirely in your browser with zero server dependencies.
WCAG Accessibility Checker
Audit HTML snippets instantly against W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2 Level A/AA) with zero server uploads.
WCAG Accessibility Checker - Complete HTML/CSS 2.2 Audit & Validation: Audit HTML snippets against W3C WCAG 2.2 guidelines for missing alt text, unlabelled inputs, skipped headings, and missing landmarks.
How to Use the WCAG Accessibility Checker
Paste HTML Code Snippet
Insert any HTML component, form, navigation header, or page fragment into the code editor, or choose one of the pre-loaded accessible sample templates.
Choose Target WCAG Conformance Level
Select WCAG 2.2 Level AA (the global legal standard under ADA Title II, Section 508, and the European Accessibility Act) or Level AAA for enhanced compliance.
Inspect Automated Audit Findings
Review flagged critical issues and usability warnings with mapped WCAG success criteria references (e.g., 1.1.1 Non-text Content, 1.3.1 Info & Relationships, 2.1.1 Keyboard).
Apply Remediation Code Suggestions
Copy the suggested accessible code fixes (such as semantic label associations, ARIA attributes, and keyboard listeners) to achieve a 100/100 accessibility score.
Comprehensive Guide: WCAG Accessibility Checker
Web accessibility (a11y) ensures that digital products, websites, and web applications are usable by everyone, including people with visual, auditory, motor, cognitive, and neurological disabilities. The global technical benchmark for digital accessibility is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Regulatory frameworks worldwide—including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA Title II/III), Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act, the European Accessibility Act (EAA), and EN 301 549—mandate conformance with WCAG Level AA standards.
Automated accessibility testing provides the first line of defense against non-compliant code. Common automated defects include missing alternative text (`alt` attributes) on images, which leaves screen reader users completely unaware of graphic content; unlabeled form fields, which prevent assistive technology from communicating input expectations; and skipped heading levels, which breaks the document outline that keyboard and screen reader users rely on for rapid page navigation.
A frequent failure in modern single-page applications is the use of non-semantic interactive elements. Developers often attach `onclick` event handlers to generic `<div>` or `<span>` elements to build clickable cards or buttons. Because `<div>` elements are not in the browser accessibility tree as interactive controls, keyboard users cannot focus them using the Tab key, and screen readers do not announce them as buttons. Replacing generic containers with native `<button>` or `<a href>` elements automatically restores keyboard operability and assistive role announcements without custom JavaScript.
While automated tools catch up to 30% to 57% of WCAG violations with zero false positives, true accessibility compliance requires pairing automated validation with manual evaluation. Automated audits excel at verifying DOM relationships, ARIA syntax, image text, and element presence; manual testing is essential for verifying color contrast across dynamic states, keyboard focus indicators, logical reading order in complex modals, and screen reader pronunciation.
Key Features & Capabilities
W3C WCAG 2.2 Rule Coverage
Audits code against modern WCAG 2.2 success criteria covering non-text content, form controls, headings, and keyboard traps.
100% Client-Side Privacy
Audits your HTML directly inside your browser memory using the native DOMParser API. No code or private data is ever uploaded.
Weighted Health Scoring (0–100)
Calculates an actionable accessibility health score with letter grades, helping dev teams establish compliance benchmarks.
Direct Remediation Suggestions
Provides copy-ready HTML code fixes alongside every violation, eliminating guesswork for front-end engineers.
Pre-Loaded Component Samples
Quickly test typical component patterns including authentication forms, e-commerce product cards, and header navigations.
Legal Risk Mitigation
Helps teams identify critical compliance vulnerabilities before production deployment to reduce ADA and EAA lawsuit exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
WCAG guidelines are organized into three conformance levels: Level A establishes minimum baseline requirements (e.g. basic alt text, keyboard access); Level AA addresses the most common accessibility barriers (e.g. 4.5:1 text contrast, accessible form labels, visible focus) and represents the global legal standard for commercial and government sites; Level AAA represents enhanced accessibility (e.g. 7:1 contrast, no timing constraints, sign language interpretation).
HTML placeholders disappear once a user starts typing, leaving cognitive and low-vision users without a visible cue of what the input requires. Furthermore, many screen readers do not consistently announce placeholders as accessible field names, and placeholder text frequently fails WCAG 1.4.3 color contrast minimums.
No automated tool can guarantee 100% ADA compliance. Automated scanners typically catch between 30% and 57% of WCAG success criteria (such as syntax errors, missing attributes, and contrast calculations). Manual testing with real screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver) and keyboard-only navigation is essential to ensure full functional usability.
Positive tabindex values override the natural DOM reading and tab order, creating a disjointed experience where the keyboard cursor jumps unpredictably across the page. Standard best practice is to structure the HTML source code in logical visual order and use only tabindex="0" (to make custom controls focusable) or tabindex="-1" (for programmatic script focus).
An accessible alt attribute succinctly conveys the meaning and context of the image. For informational images, describe what the graphic represents. For functional images (such as an icon inside a link or button), describe the action (e.g. alt="Print document"). For purely decorative graphics, use an empty alt="" so screen readers know to skip them entirely.