How many success criteria are in WCAG 2.2 AA?

55: 31 at Level A and 24 at Level AA. WCAG 2.2 added six A and AA criteria (2.4.11, 2.5.7, 2.5.8, 3.2.6, 3.3.7, 3.3.8) and removed 4.1.1 Parsing.

What is new in WCAG 2.2?

Focus Not Obscured (2.4.11), Dragging Movements (2.5.7), Target Size Minimum of 24 by 24 pixels (2.5.8), Consistent Help (3.2.6), Redundant Entry (3.3.7) and Accessible Authentication (3.3.8) at A and AA, plus three AAA criteria. 4.1.1 Parsing was removed.

Is WCAG 2.2 AA a legal requirement?

It depends on where you are and who you serve. The European Accessibility Act, in force since June 2025, points to EN 301 549, which is based on WCAG AA. In the US, the ADA Title II rule for state and local governments adopts WCAG 2.1 AA, and courts often use WCAG AA as the benchmark in other cases. Meeting 2.2 AA covers 2.1 AA as well.

Can automated tools check all of WCAG?

No. Automated checkers reliably catch a minority of issues, such as missing alt attributes, low text contrast and missing form labels. Keyboard use, focus order, meaningful alt text and most of the rest need a person to test.

WCAG 2.2 AA checklist: all 55 success criteria in plain language

WCAG 2.2 AA checklist

All 55 success criteria you need for WCAG 2.2 Level AA (31 at A, 24 at AA), each in plain language with a quick way to test it. Tick them off as you go: your progress stays in this browser, and nothing is sent anywhere.

Criterion	What it means	How to check
1.1.1 Non-text Content A	Every meaningful image, icon and control has a text alternative; decorative ones are hidden from screen readers.	Check alt on each img (alt="" for decoration) and accessible names on icon buttons.
1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) A	Recorded audio has a transcript; silent video has a transcript or audio track.	Find each media file and its alternative.
1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) A	Recorded video with sound has accurate captions.	Play with captions on; check they match speech and name speakers.
1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) A	Important visual-only information in video is described, or a full text alternative exists.	Watch without looking: is anything important missed?
1.2.4 Captions (Live) AA	Live video with sound has live captions.	Check your streaming setup produces captions.
1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) AA	Recorded video has audio description of important visual content.	Look for a described version or description track.
1.3.1 Info and Relationships A	Headings, lists, tables and form labels are marked up as such, not just styled to look like it.	Inspect the HTML or use a screen reader's headings and form lists.
1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence A	The reading order in the code makes sense.	Turn CSS off, or read the page with a screen reader.
1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics A	Instructions don't rely only on shape, position, color or sound ("click the round button on the right").	Read the instructions and help text.
1.3.4 Orientation AA	Works in both portrait and landscape, unless one is essential.	Rotate a phone or tablet.
1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose AA	Fields about the user (name, email, address) have the right autocomplete attribute.	Inspect personal-data inputs for autocomplete.
1.4.1 Use of Color A	Color is never the only way information is shown: errors, required fields, links in text, chart series.	View in grayscale or with the color blindness simulator.
1.4.2 Audio Control A	Audio that plays by itself for more than 3 seconds can be paused or muted.	Load pages with sound.
1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) AA	Text contrast is at least 4.5:1, or 3:1 for large text.	Check each text color pair. The rules, checker.
1.4.4 Resize Text AA	Text can be zoomed to 200% without losing content or function.	Zoom the browser to 200%.
1.4.5 Images of Text AA	Real text is used instead of pictures of text, except logos.	Look for text inside images.
1.4.10 Reflow AA	At 320 CSS pixels wide (400% zoom on a 1280px screen), content fits without scrolling sideways.	Zoom to 400% or set the window 320px wide.
1.4.11 Non-text Contrast AA	Borders of inputs and buttons, focus indicators, icons and chart parts have at least 3:1 contrast.	Check component edges against their background.
1.4.12 Text Spacing AA	Nothing is cut off when users increase line, letter, word and paragraph spacing.	Apply a text-spacing bookmarklet and look for clipping.
1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus AA	Tooltips and popovers can be dismissed with Esc, can be hovered themselves, and stay until dismissed.	Hover and focus every tooltip.
2.1.1 Keyboard A	Everything works with a keyboard alone.	Unplug the mouse; use Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space, arrows.
2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap A	Keyboard focus never gets stuck.	Tab through every widget, modal and embed.
2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts A	Single-key shortcuts can be turned off or remapped, or only work when a component has focus.	List any single-letter shortcuts.
2.2.1 Timing Adjustable A	Time limits can be turned off, adjusted or extended.	Look for session timeouts and timed steps.
2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide A	Moving, blinking or auto-updating content can be paused.	Find carousels, animations, tickers.
2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold A	Nothing flashes more than three times a second.	Review video and animation.
2.4.1 Bypass Blocks A	A skip link or landmarks let keyboard users jump past repeated navigation.	Press Tab on page load; look for "Skip to content".
2.4.2 Page Titled A	Each page has a title describing it.	Read the browser tab titles.
2.4.3 Focus Order A	Tab order follows a logical order.	Tab through the page.
2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) A	Each link's purpose is clear from its text or sentence ("read more" alone fails).	List links with a screen reader.
2.4.5 Multiple Ways AA	There's more than one way to find pages: navigation plus search or a sitemap.	Check the site's navigation options.
2.4.6 Headings and Labels AA	Headings and labels describe their content.	Read the heading outline.
2.4.7 Focus Visible AA	You can always see which element has keyboard focus.	Tab through; look for outline: none without a replacement.
2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) AA	The focused element isn't completely hidden by sticky headers, cookie banners or chat widgets.	Tab through with every sticky element showing. New in 2.2.
2.5.1 Pointer Gestures A	Anything done with multi-finger or path gestures can be done with a single tap or click.	Check maps, sliders, carousels.
2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation A	Actions fire on release, not press, so users can slide off to cancel.	Press a button, drag away, release.
2.5.3 Label in Name A	A control's accessible name contains its visible label text.	Compare visible labels with names in the accessibility tree.
2.5.4 Motion Actuation A	Shake or tilt features also have a normal control and can be turned off.	Look for motion-triggered features.
2.5.7 Dragging Movements AA	Anything done by dragging can also be done with single clicks.	Try sortable lists, sliders, drag-to-upload. New in 2.2.
2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) AA	Click targets are at least 24×24 CSS pixels, or have enough space around them.	Measure small icons and links. New in 2.2.
3.1.1 Language of Page A	The page's main language is set in <html lang>.	Inspect the html element.
3.1.2 Language of Parts AA	Passages in another language are marked with lang.	Find quotes or phrases in other languages.
3.2.1 On Focus A	Focusing an element doesn't change the page or context by itself.	Tab through; nothing should submit or navigate.
3.2.2 On Input A	Changing a setting doesn't unexpectedly change context (no auto-submitting selects).	Change every select, checkbox and field.
3.2.3 Consistent Navigation AA	Repeated navigation appears in the same order on every page.	Compare a few pages.
3.2.4 Consistent Identification AA	The same function has the same name everywhere.	Compare icon and button labels across pages.
3.2.6 Consistent Help A	Help (contact, chat, FAQ) appears in the same place on every page that has it.	Compare pages. New in 2.2.
3.3.1 Error Identification A	Form errors are described in text and point to the field.	Submit forms with mistakes.
3.3.2 Labels or Instructions A	Fields have visible labels, and required formats are explained.	Check every form field.
3.3.3 Error Suggestion AA	Errors suggest how to fix them when possible.	Read each error message.
3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) AA	Legal, payment and data-deleting submissions can be reviewed, corrected or undone.	Walk through checkout and account deletion.
3.3.7 Redundant Entry A	Users aren't asked to type the same information twice in one process.	Walk through multi-step forms. New in 2.2.
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) AA	Logging in doesn't require a memory or puzzle test; pasting passwords and password managers work.	Try pasting into the password field; check CAPTCHAs. New in 2.2.
4.1.2 Name, Role, Value A	Custom controls expose a name, role and state to assistive technology.	Inspect custom widgets in the accessibility tree.
4.1.3 Status Messages AA	Status updates ("Saved", "3 results") are announced without moving focus.	Trigger messages with a screen reader on; check for role=status or aria-live.

Criterion

What it means

How to check

1.1.1 Non-text Content A

Every meaningful image, icon and control has a text alternative; decorative ones are hidden from screen readers.

Check alt on each img (alt="" for decoration) and accessible names on icon buttons.

1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) A

Recorded audio has a transcript; silent video has a transcript or audio track.

Find each media file and its alternative.

1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) A

Recorded video with sound has accurate captions.

Play with captions on; check they match speech and name speakers.

1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) A

Important visual-only information in video is described, or a full text alternative exists.

Watch without looking: is anything important missed?

1.2.4 Captions (Live) AA

Live video with sound has live captions.

Check your streaming setup produces captions.

1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) AA

Recorded video has audio description of important visual content.

Look for a described version or description track.

1.3.1 Info and Relationships A

Headings, lists, tables and form labels are marked up as such, not just styled to look like it.

Inspect the HTML or use a screen reader's headings and form lists.

1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence A

The reading order in the code makes sense.

Turn CSS off, or read the page with a screen reader.

1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics A

Instructions don't rely only on shape, position, color or sound ("click the round button on the right").

Read the instructions and help text.

1.3.4 Orientation AA

Works in both portrait and landscape, unless one is essential.

Rotate a phone or tablet.

1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose AA

Fields about the user (name, email, address) have the right autocomplete attribute.

Inspect personal-data inputs for autocomplete.

1.4.1 Use of Color A

Color is never the only way information is shown: errors, required fields, links in text, chart series.

View in grayscale or with the color blindness simulator.

1.4.2 Audio Control A

Audio that plays by itself for more than 3 seconds can be paused or muted.

Load pages with sound.

1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) AA

Text contrast is at least 4.5:1, or 3:1 for large text.

Check each text color pair. The rules, checker.

1.4.4 Resize Text AA

Text can be zoomed to 200% without losing content or function.

Zoom the browser to 200%.

1.4.5 Images of Text AA

Real text is used instead of pictures of text, except logos.

Look for text inside images.

1.4.10 Reflow AA

At 320 CSS pixels wide (400% zoom on a 1280px screen), content fits without scrolling sideways.

Zoom to 400% or set the window 320px wide.

1.4.11 Non-text Contrast AA

Borders of inputs and buttons, focus indicators, icons and chart parts have at least 3:1 contrast.

Check component edges against their background.

1.4.12 Text Spacing AA

Nothing is cut off when users increase line, letter, word and paragraph spacing.

Apply a text-spacing bookmarklet and look for clipping.

1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus AA

Tooltips and popovers can be dismissed with Esc, can be hovered themselves, and stay until dismissed.

Hover and focus every tooltip.

2.1.1 Keyboard A

Everything works with a keyboard alone.

Unplug the mouse; use Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space, arrows.

2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap A

Keyboard focus never gets stuck.

Tab through every widget, modal and embed.

2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts A

Single-key shortcuts can be turned off or remapped, or only work when a component has focus.

List any single-letter shortcuts.

2.2.1 Timing Adjustable A

Time limits can be turned off, adjusted or extended.

Look for session timeouts and timed steps.

2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide A

Moving, blinking or auto-updating content can be paused.

Find carousels, animations, tickers.

2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold A

Nothing flashes more than three times a second.

Review video and animation.

2.4.1 Bypass Blocks A

A skip link or landmarks let keyboard users jump past repeated navigation.

Press Tab on page load; look for "Skip to content".

2.4.2 Page Titled A

Each page has a title describing it.

Read the browser tab titles.

2.4.3 Focus Order A

Tab order follows a logical order.

Tab through the page.

2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) A

Each link's purpose is clear from its text or sentence ("read more" alone fails).

List links with a screen reader.

2.4.5 Multiple Ways AA

There's more than one way to find pages: navigation plus search or a sitemap.

Check the site's navigation options.

2.4.6 Headings and Labels AA

Headings and labels describe their content.

Read the heading outline.

2.4.7 Focus Visible AA

You can always see which element has keyboard focus.

Tab through; look for outline: none without a replacement.

2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) AA

The focused element isn't completely hidden by sticky headers, cookie banners or chat widgets.

Tab through with every sticky element showing. New in 2.2.

2.5.1 Pointer Gestures A

Anything done with multi-finger or path gestures can be done with a single tap or click.

Check maps, sliders, carousels.

2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation A

Actions fire on release, not press, so users can slide off to cancel.

Press a button, drag away, release.

2.5.3 Label in Name A

A control's accessible name contains its visible label text.

Compare visible labels with names in the accessibility tree.

2.5.4 Motion Actuation A

Shake or tilt features also have a normal control and can be turned off.

Look for motion-triggered features.

2.5.7 Dragging Movements AA

Anything done by dragging can also be done with single clicks.

Try sortable lists, sliders, drag-to-upload. New in 2.2.

2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) AA

Click targets are at least 24×24 CSS pixels, or have enough space around them.

Measure small icons and links. New in 2.2.

3.1.1 Language of Page A

The page's main language is set in <html lang>.

Inspect the html element.

3.1.2 Language of Parts AA

Passages in another language are marked with lang.

Find quotes or phrases in other languages.

3.2.1 On Focus A

Focusing an element doesn't change the page or context by itself.

Tab through; nothing should submit or navigate.

3.2.2 On Input A

Changing a setting doesn't unexpectedly change context (no auto-submitting selects).

Change every select, checkbox and field.

3.2.3 Consistent Navigation AA

Repeated navigation appears in the same order on every page.

Compare a few pages.

3.2.4 Consistent Identification AA

The same function has the same name everywhere.

Compare icon and button labels across pages.

3.2.6 Consistent Help A

Help (contact, chat, FAQ) appears in the same place on every page that has it.

Compare pages. New in 2.2.

3.3.1 Error Identification A

Form errors are described in text and point to the field.

Submit forms with mistakes.

3.3.2 Labels or Instructions A

Fields have visible labels, and required formats are explained.

Check every form field.

3.3.3 Error Suggestion AA

Errors suggest how to fix them when possible.

Read each error message.

3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) AA

Legal, payment and data-deleting submissions can be reviewed, corrected or undone.

Walk through checkout and account deletion.

3.3.7 Redundant Entry A

Users aren't asked to type the same information twice in one process.

Walk through multi-step forms. New in 2.2.

3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) AA

Logging in doesn't require a memory or puzzle test; pasting passwords and password managers work.

Try pasting into the password field; check CAPTCHAs. New in 2.2.

4.1.2 Name, Role, Value A

Custom controls expose a name, role and state to assistive technology.

Inspect custom widgets in the accessibility tree.

4.1.3 Status Messages AA

Status updates ("Saved", "3 results") are announced without moving focus.

Trigger messages with a screen reader on; check for role=status or aria-live.

What changed in WCAG 2.2

How to use it

Test a handful of representative pages rather than every page: the home page, a content page, a form, checkout or sign-up, and anything unusual like a map or a data table. Automated tools find a minority of issues quickly; everything with "Tab", "screen reader" or "read" in its test column needs a person. A step-by-step audit process is here, and how to write the result up as an ACR/VPAT is here.

ContrastForge (Chrome, in review)

Handles the contrast rows of this list, 1.4.3 and 1.4.11, across whole pages: it checks every visible text element, composites transparent layers and gradients, suggests the nearest passing color, and exports the findings as a report with your logo. Checking a pair and five full-page scans a month are free.

See ContrastForge