WCAG 2.2 AA checklist for online stores: page by page

Updated 2026-10-18

WCAG (the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) has 50+ success criteria at Level AA. Most checklists list them in WCAG's own order, which is hard to apply to a store. This one is organised by the pages you actually have. Each item gives the WCAG success criterion (SC) number so you can look up the details, and marks whether an automated scan can usually catch it.

Legend: Auto = usually caught by automated tools like axe or WAVE. Manual = needs a person to check.

Every page (header, footer, layout)

Page language is set (<html lang="en">). SC 3.1.1. Auto
Each page has a unique, descriptive title. SC 2.4.2. Auto/Manual
A "Skip to content" link is the first thing you reach with Tab. SC 2.4.1. Manual
Every link, button and field shows a visible focus indicator. SC 2.4.7. Manual
Focused elements aren't completely hidden behind a sticky header, chat bubble or cookie bar. SC 2.4.11 (new in 2.2). Manual
Text contrast is at least 4.5:1 (3:1 for large text); icons and field borders at least 3:1. SC 1.4.3, 1.4.11. Auto for text
Pages work at 200% zoom and reflow at 400% without sideways scrolling. SC 1.4.4, 1.4.10. Manual
Zoom isn't disabled in the viewport tag. SC 1.4.4. Auto
Icon-only links (cart, search, account, social) have an accessible name. SC 2.4.4, 4.1.2. Auto
The menu opens, works and closes with the keyboard. SC 2.1.1. Manual
Headings are in order and there's one H1. SC 1.3.1, 2.4.6. Auto/Manual
Help (contact link, chat) is in the same place on every page. SC 3.2.6 (new in 2.2). Manual

Home page

Banner and slideshow images have alt text, or empty alt if decorative. SC 1.1.1. Auto (presence) / Manual (quality)
Text placed over images still meets contrast. SC 1.4.3. Manual (tools can't always measure text over images)
Auto-rotating slideshows can be paused. SC 2.2.2. Manual
Background videos have no sound or can be stopped. SC 1.4.2. Manual

Collection and search pages

Filter and sort controls have labels and work with the keyboard. SC 1.3.1, 2.1.1, 4.1.2. Auto/Manual
When filters update the results, the change is announced (e.g. "24 products"). SC 4.1.3. Manual
Product card links make sense on their own (not five "Shop now" links). SC 2.4.4. Manual
Sale badges and "compare at" prices aren't conveyed by colour alone. SC 1.4.1. Manual

Product page

Product images have alt text that describes the product and variant. SC 1.1.1. Manual
Variant pickers (size, colour swatches) have labels, show the selected state, and are reachable by keyboard. SC 1.3.1, 4.1.2. Auto/Manual
Colour swatches have a text name, not only a colour. SC 1.4.1. Manual
Quantity field has a label. SC 3.3.2, 4.1.2. Auto
"Added to cart" is announced or focus moves to the cart drawer. SC 4.1.3. Manual
Buttons and swatches are at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels or have enough space around them. SC 2.5.8 (new in 2.2). Manual
Videos with speech have captions. SC 1.2.2. Manual
Image zoom and galleries can be used and closed with the keyboard. SC 2.1.1, 2.1.2. Manual

Cart

Quantity inputs and remove buttons have names that include the product ("Remove Blue mug"). SC 2.4.6, 4.1.2. Auto/Manual
Updating the cart announces the new total or moves focus sensibly. SC 4.1.3. Manual
Cart drawers trap focus while open, close with Escape, and return focus when closed. SC 2.1.2, 2.4.3. Manual

Forms (contact, newsletter, account)

Every field has a visible label (placeholder text alone isn't enough). SC 1.3.1, 3.3.2. Auto
Errors are described in text and say how to fix them. SC 3.3.1, 3.3.3. Manual
Name and email fields use autocomplete attributes. SC 1.3.5. Auto
Customers aren't asked to re-enter information they already gave in the same process. SC 3.3.7 (new in 2.2). Manual
Logging in doesn't depend on a memory or puzzle test without an alternative (allow password managers and paste). SC 3.3.8 (new in 2.2). Manual

Pop-ups, cookie banners and chat widgets

Focus moves into the pop-up, can't escape behind it, and returns afterwards. SC 2.4.3. Manual
The close button has a name and is keyboard reachable. SC 4.1.2. Auto/Manual
Content on hover or focus (tooltips, mega menus) can be dismissed and doesn't vanish when you move to it. SC 1.4.13. Manual

Checkout

On Shopify, the checkout is maintained by Shopify. On WooCommerce, test the whole checkout with keyboard and a screen reader, especially payment fields from gateway plugins. See our WooCommerce fixes.

How to work through this list

Start with the Auto items: run the free check or another scanner on one page of each type. Then spend 20 minutes on the Manual items with a keyboard and a screen reader. The $39 full report covers the automated part for five key pages and includes a manual testing checklist like this one. Ticking every box here is a strong start, but WCAG has more criteria than any short list covers, and no checklist or tool is a guarantee of conformance.

Check your store in 2 minutes

Run our free in-browser check on any page of your store, or get the full $39 report: every automated issue on 5 key pages, with step-by-step fixes for Shopify and WooCommerce.

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FAQ

What is WCAG 2.2 AA?

Version 2.2 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published by the W3C in October 2023. Level AA is the level most laws and standards point to. It includes all of WCAG 2.1 AA plus new criteria such as minimum target size and focus not obscured.

What's new in WCAG 2.2 for online stores?

The new AA and A criteria most relevant to stores are 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured, 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum), 3.2.6 Consistent Help, 3.3.7 Redundant Entry and 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication.

Can an automated tool check all of WCAG?

No. Automated tools reliably catch only part of WCAG, such as contrast, missing labels and missing alt text. Keyboard use, meaningful alt text and focus behaviour need manual checks.

Should I aim for WCAG 2.1 or 2.2?

WCAG 2.2 includes everything in 2.1, so meeting 2.2 AA also meets 2.1 AA, which is what EN 301 549 and many legal settlements reference.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. ClearAisle provides automated audits only; a report is not a compliance guarantee or certification. Sources checked 2026-10-18.