Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

WCAG Every version, every criterion

The W3C's accessibility guidelines, from WCAG 1.0 in 1999 to the WCAG 3.0 draft, with every WCAG 2 success criterion explained in plain English. Each criterion has a live demo you can switch between passing and failing, code examples, who it helps and how to test it. Level AA of WCAG 2.2 is what most laws ask for.

WCAG 2.2 criteria: 86
Live demos: 87
Versions: 1.0–3.0
Current: WCAG 2.2

Explore the criteria WCAG 2.2 Accessibility Checklist

Versions

Every version of WCAG

From the first guidelines in 1999 to the draft of WCAG 3.0. Each later WCAG 2 version keeps the one before and adds to it, so content that meets 2.2 meets 2.1 and 2.0 too.

Every criterion

Find any success criterion

Search by number or name, or filter by version, level and principle. Every criterion has its own page with a live demo, code examples and how to test it.

1. Perceivable

Information and interface must be presentable in ways people can perceive.

29 criteria

A 9AA 11AAA 9

1.1

Text Alternatives

1 criterion

1.1.1Level A Non-text Content

1.2

Time-based Media

9 criteria

1.3

Adaptable

6 criteria

1.4

Distinguishable

13 criteria

2. Operable

Interface components and navigation must be operable.

34 criteria

A 14AA 6AAA 14

2.1

Keyboard Accessible

4 criteria

2.2

Enough Time

6 criteria

2.3

Seizures and Physical Reactions

3 criteria

2.4

Navigable

13 criteria

2.5

Input Modalities

8 criteria

3. Understandable

Information and the operation of the interface must be understandable.

21 criteria

A 7AA 6AAA 8

3.1

Readable

6 criteria

3.2

Predictable

6 criteria

3.3

Input Assistance

9 criteria

4. Robust

Content must be robust enough to work with current and future user agents, including assistive technology.

2 criteria

A 1AA 1AAA 0

4.1

Compatible

2 criteria

In WCAG 2.0
New in 2.1
New in 2.2
Removed in 2.2

Guideline	Level A31	Level AA24	Level AAA31
1 Perceivable
1.1 Text Alternatives	1.1.1Non-text Content	—	—
1.2 Time-based Media	1.2.1Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) 1.2.2Captions (Prerecorded) 1.2.3Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded)	1.2.4Captions (Live) 1.2.5Audio Description (Prerecorded)	1.2.6Sign Language (Prerecorded) 1.2.7Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) 1.2.8Media Alternative (Prerecorded) 1.2.9Audio-only (Live)
1.3 Adaptable	1.3.1Info and Relationships 1.3.2Meaningful Sequence 1.3.3Sensory Characteristics	1.3.4Orientation 1.3.5Identify Input Purpose	1.3.6Identify Purpose
1.4 Distinguishable	1.4.1Use of Color 1.4.2Audio Control	1.4.3Contrast (Minimum) 1.4.4Resize Text 1.4.5Images of Text 1.4.10Reflow 1.4.11Non-text Contrast 1.4.12Text Spacing 1.4.13Content on Hover or Focus	1.4.6Contrast (Enhanced) 1.4.7Low or No Background Audio 1.4.8Visual Presentation 1.4.9Images of Text (No Exception)
2 Operable
2.1 Keyboard Accessible	2.1.1Keyboard 2.1.2No Keyboard Trap 2.1.4Character Key Shortcuts	—	2.1.3Keyboard (No Exception)
2.2 Enough Time	2.2.1Timing Adjustable 2.2.2Pause, Stop, Hide	—	2.2.3No Timing 2.2.4Interruptions 2.2.5Re-authenticating 2.2.6Timeouts
2.3 Seizures and Physical Reactions	2.3.1Three Flashes or Below Threshold	—	2.3.2Three Flashes 2.3.3Animation from Interactions
2.4 Navigable	2.4.1Bypass Blocks 2.4.2Page Titled 2.4.3Focus Order 2.4.4Link Purpose (In Context)	2.4.5Multiple Ways 2.4.6Headings and Labels 2.4.7Focus Visible 2.4.11Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)	2.4.8Location 2.4.9Link Purpose (Link Only) 2.4.10Section Headings 2.4.12Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) 2.4.13Focus Appearance
2.5 Input Modalities	2.5.1Pointer Gestures 2.5.2Pointer Cancellation 2.5.3Label in Name 2.5.4Motion Actuation	2.5.7Dragging Movements 2.5.8Target Size (Minimum)	2.5.5Target Size (Enhanced) 2.5.6Concurrent Input Mechanisms
3 Understandable
3.1 Readable	3.1.1Language of Page	3.1.2Language of Parts	3.1.3Unusual Words 3.1.4Abbreviations 3.1.5Reading Level 3.1.6Pronunciation
3.2 Predictable	3.2.1On Focus 3.2.2On Input 3.2.6Consistent Help	3.2.3Consistent Navigation 3.2.4Consistent Identification	3.2.5Change on Request
3.3 Input Assistance	3.3.1Error Identification 3.3.2Labels or Instructions 3.3.7Redundant Entry	3.3.3Error Suggestion 3.3.4Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) 3.3.8Accessible Authentication (Minimum)	3.3.5Help 3.3.6Error Prevention (All) 3.3.9Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)
4 Robust
4.1 Compatible	4.1.1Parsing 4.1.2Name, Role, Value	4.1.3Status Messages	—

What changed

Version by version

How many success criteria each WCAG 2 version has at each level, and what it added and removed.

Version	Published	Level A	Level AA	Level AAA	Total	Added	Removed
WCAG 2.0	11 December 2008	25	13	23	61	–	–
WCAG 2.1	5 June 2018	30	20	28	78	+17	–
WCAG 2.2	5 October 2023	31	24	31	86	+9	−1

Removed

4.1.1 Parsing

WCAG 2.2 removed 4.1.1 Parsing as obsolete: browsers and assistive technology now handle the markup errors it guarded against.

What it asked for, and why it went

It still appears in WCAG 2.0 and 2.1, so a site audited against those versions is still tested on it, though W3C now says to treat it as always met for HTML.