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DesignUpdated 2 min read

WCAG 2.2: practical interface checks for a website

You move through a form with the keyboard and the next field seems to disappear. Focus may still be present, hidden beneath a fixed header. The practical problem is the same: the person cannot see where the next action belongs.

A tidy visual review can miss these barriers. Begin with actual tasks, such as finding information, selecting an option and completing a form, across different input methods and screen sizes.

Understand the new recommendation

WCAG 2.2 was published on 5 October 2023. It adds nine success criteria at different conformance levels. They are not all AA requirements; assess the applicable level and each criterion’s conditions.

A practical review can examine obscured focus, small targets and dragging-only actions. The minimum target-size criterion uses 24 CSS pixels with spacing provisions and exceptions. Measuring the width of a button alone cannot establish the result.

A person navigates a website form with a keyboard
A keyboard user should be able to locate the focused control.

Follow the complete task

Open menus, forms and dialogs using the keyboard. Check visible focus and interference from fixed elements. Repeat on a small screen. Zooming should not hide the important action or its error message.

If reordering depends on dragging, offer another suitable control, such as move-up and move-down buttons. Keep repeated help in a consistent place. Avoid asking for information again without a valid reason.

Review the task, not just the screenshot
An interface accessibility check. An illustrative planning example.

A short checklist is not a full audit

Automated tools find some issues but cannot judge every task. A high score does not prove complete conformance. People must also review signing in, correcting an error and reaching a confirmed completion state.

  • Define the review’s level and page scope.
  • Check keyboard operation, focus and zoom.
  • Assess small targets alongside their neighbours.
  • Provide alternatives to demanding gestures.
  • Repeat the same task after a correction.

Build these checks into interface development. The resulting evidence supports a remediation plan; it does not guarantee legal compliance or an ideal experience for every person.

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