WCAG 2.2 AA Checklist: Free Accessibility Audit Tool

WCAG, without the jargon

WCAG is the international standard for accessible websites, but the official text is written for specialists and can be hard to act on. This free checklist translates the key WCAG 2.2 Level AA requirements into plain, practical checks and lets you tick them off as you go. It groups everything by the four WCAG principles, saves your progress in your browser, and prints a clean report, so a whole team can see what is done and what is left.

The four principles

Perceivable: people can perceive the content, with text alternatives, captions, enough contrast and text that resizes.
Operable: people can use it, with full keyboard access, a visible focus, skip links and large enough targets.
Understandable: it is clear and predictable, with labelled fields, helpful errors and consistent navigation.
Robust: it works with assistive technology, with valid code and correct ARIA on custom components.

Know which failures matter most

Not every criterion trips people up equally. The checklist marks the ones reviewers and automated tools flag most often: missing text alternatives, colour used alone to carry meaning, text contrast below 4.5 to 1, keyboard traps and missing focus indicators, unlabelled form fields, unclear error messages, and custom widgets with no accessible name or role. Clear these and you remove the majority of the barriers real users hit, which is the fastest route to meaningful improvement.

A checklist is a start, not a certificate

Automated tools and a checklist together still miss issues that only a real test uncovers: whether a screen reader announces your content in a sensible order, whether a keyboard-only user can actually complete a task, whether an error message makes sense. The most reliable step is to test with assistive technology and, wherever possible, with disabled people. Use this list to find and fix the obvious problems and to track progress, then confirm with real testing before you claim conformance.

Works with the rest of the toolkit

This pairs naturally with the other accessibility tools on Etoolio: the colour contrast checker for the single most common failure, the accessibility statement generator to document where you stand, and the Easy Read checker for making key information understandable. Together they take you from finding problems to fixing them to being open about them. Your ticks stay in this browser and are never uploaded, and the tool is free with no signup.

WCAG 2.2 AA Checklist, frequently asked questions

What does the WCAG checklist cover?

It covers the key WCAG 2.2 Level AA success criteria, written in plain language and grouped by the four WCAG principles: Perceivable (people can perceive the content), Operable (people can use it, including with a keyboard), Understandable (it is clear and predictable), and Robust (it works with assistive technology). You tick each check off as you confirm it, and see your progress per principle and overall.

What is WCAG 2.2 Level AA?

WCAG stands for the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, the international standard for accessible websites. Level AA is the middle of three levels and the one most laws require, including the European Accessibility Act and public-sector rules in the UK, EU and US. Version 2.2 is the current version, adding checks like larger clickable targets and not making people re-enter information.

Which checks matter most?

The items marked 'must' are the failures that reviewers and automated tools catch most often: text alternatives for images, not relying on colour alone, 4.5 to 1 text contrast, full keyboard access, a visible focus indicator, labelled form fields, clear error messages, correct ARIA on custom components, the page language set in code, and testing with a real screen reader. Fixing these removes most of the barriers real users hit.

Is this a formal accessibility audit?

No. It is a practical guide to help teams find and fix the most common problems and track their progress. A full audit tests every page against the complete standard, ideally with disabled people using assistive technology. Automated checks and this list together still miss issues only a real test will find. Use it as a strong start and a shared to-do list, not as a certificate.

Does my progress save?

Yes. Every tick is saved automatically in your browser, so you can close the page and come back later on the same device. You can print a clean report of what is and is not done, and reset the whole list at any time. Nothing is uploaded.

Is it free?

Yes, free with no signup, and it runs entirely in your browser.

WCAG 2.2 AA Checklist

Perceivable

Operable

Understandable

Robust