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Compliance · Standard

WCAG 2.2 Level AA checklist

WCAG 2.2 became a W3C Recommendation on 5 October 2023; the current edition is dated 12 December 2024, and it is also published as ISO/IEC 40500:2025. Conforming at Level AA means meeting all 55 Level A and Level AA success criteria below, 6 of which are new in 2.2. The summaries are plain-language paraphrases; the W3C text is the authority.

What changed from 2.1. Six Level A and AA criteria were added (marked new below), plus three at Level AAA: 2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced), 2.4.13 Focus Appearance and 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced).

4.1.1 Parsing is obsolete. WCAG 2.2 removed it. Organisations whose policy still requires WCAG 2.0 or 2.1, such as Section 508, may need to keep testing it.

Level A: 31 criteria

CriterionWhat it asksFix guide
1.1.1 Non-text Content Images, icons and controls have a text alternative; decorative ones are hidden.Guide to fixing 1.1.1 Non-text Content
1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) Recorded audio has a transcript; silent video has a text or audio alternative.No guide yet
1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) Recorded video with sound has captions.No guide yet
1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) Recorded video has audio description or a full text alternative.No guide yet
1.3.1 Info and Relationships Structure shown visually (headings, lists, tables, labels) is in the code too.Guide to fixing 1.3.1 Info and Relationships
1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence The reading order in the code makes sense.No guide yet
1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics Instructions do not rely only on shape, colour, size, position or sound.No guide yet
1.4.1 Use of Color Colour is not the only way information is shown, such as a red error field.No guide yet
1.4.2 Audio Control Audio that plays automatically for more than 3 seconds can be paused or muted.No guide yet
2.1.1 Keyboard Everything works with a keyboard alone.No guide yet
2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap Keyboard focus can always move away from any component.No guide yet
2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts Single-key shortcuts can be turned off, remapped, or only work on focus.No guide yet
2.2.1 Timing Adjustable Time limits can be turned off, adjusted or extended.No guide yet
2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide Moving, blinking or auto-updating content can be paused, stopped or hidden.No guide yet
2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold Nothing flashes more than three times a second.No guide yet
2.4.1 Bypass Blocks There is a way to skip repeated content such as navigation.Guide to fixing 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks
2.4.2 Page Titled Each page has a title that describes it.No guide yet
2.4.3 Focus Order Keyboard focus moves in an order that preserves meaning.No guide yet
2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) The purpose of each link is clear from its text or context.Guide to fixing 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context)
2.5.1 Pointer Gestures Multi-point or path gestures have a single-pointer alternative.No guide yet
2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation Actions fire on release, or can be aborted or undone.No guide yet
2.5.3 Label in Name A control's accessible name contains its visible label.Guide to fixing 2.5.3 Label in Name
2.5.4 Motion Actuation Features triggered by shaking or tilting have a control alternative and can be disabled.No guide yet
3.1.1 Language of Page The page's language is set in the code.No guide yet
3.2.1 On Focus Focusing an element does not trigger a change of context.No guide yet
3.2.2 On Input Changing a setting does not unexpectedly change context.No guide yet
3.2.6 Consistent Help newHelp mechanisms repeated across pages appear in the same relative order.No guide yet
3.3.1 Error Identification Input errors are identified and described in text.No guide yet
3.3.2 Labels or Instructions Fields that need input have labels or instructions.Guide to fixing 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions
3.3.7 Redundant Entry newInformation already entered in a process is not asked for again, or is prefilled.No guide yet
4.1.2 Name, Role, Value Components expose their name, role and state to assistive technology.Guide to fixing 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value

Level AA: 24 criteria

CriterionWhat it asksFix guide
1.2.4 Captions (Live) Live video with sound has captions.No guide yet
1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) Recorded video has audio description.No guide yet
1.3.4 Orientation Content works in both portrait and landscape.No guide yet
1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose Fields about the user carry the right autocomplete purpose.No guide yet
1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) Text contrast is at least 4.5:1, or 3:1 for large text.Guide to fixing 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)
1.4.4 Resize Text Text can be zoomed to 200% without losing content or function.No guide yet
1.4.5 Images of Text Real text is used instead of images of text where possible.No guide yet
1.4.10 Reflow Content fits a 320-pixel-wide viewport without scrolling in two directions.No guide yet
1.4.11 Non-text Contrast Control borders, focus indicators and meaningful graphics reach 3:1.No guide yet
1.4.12 Text Spacing Nothing breaks when users increase line, letter and word spacing.No guide yet
1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus Tooltips and popovers can be dismissed, hovered and stay visible.No guide yet
2.4.5 Multiple Ways There is more than one way to find a page, such as navigation and search.No guide yet
2.4.6 Headings and Labels Headings and labels describe their topic or purpose.No guide yet
2.4.7 Focus Visible Keyboard focus is visible.No guide yet
2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) newA focused element is not entirely hidden by sticky headers or banners.No guide yet
2.5.7 Dragging Movements newAnything done by dragging can be done with single clicks or taps.No guide yet
2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) newPointer targets are at least 24 by 24 pixels or spaced apart.Guide to fixing 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)
3.1.2 Language of Parts Passages in another language are marked with their language.No guide yet
3.2.3 Consistent Navigation Repeated navigation appears in the same order on each page.No guide yet
3.2.4 Consistent Identification Components with the same function are labelled consistently.No guide yet
3.3.3 Error Suggestion When an error is detected and a fix is known, it is suggested.No guide yet
3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) Legal, financial and data submissions can be reviewed, corrected or reversed.No guide yet
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) newSigning in does not require a cognitive test such as remembering or transcribing a code, unless help is available.No guide yet
4.1.3 Status Messages Status messages are announced without moving focus.No guide yet

Which of these a scanner can check

Some criteria can be measured on every page, such as contrast, missing names, language and target size. Others need a person, such as whether captions are accurate or a focus order preserves meaning. Accessibility Pro reports which criteria its engines evaluated on each scan and marks the rest as not tested, instead of counting them as passes. See the WCAG fix guides for the failures scans find most often, the compliance reporting overview, and the European standard built on these criteria, EN 301 549

Sources

Checked on 2026-09-24. The one-line summaries are paraphrases for orientation, not the normative text.