Accessibility Checklist
Published on Mon Jul 20 2026
Accessibility isn’t about rigid rules; it’s about making sure nobody gets left out of the conversation. Whether someone is using a screen reader, navigating via keyboard, or simply viewing a screen in bright sunlight, our digital content should always be clear and easy to navigate.
Use this quick, practical checklist to audit your work before it goes live. By taking just five minutes to double-check these pillars, you can remove major barriers for our audience.
Visuals & Readability
Keep language simple: Write in plain, clear language. Avoid unnecessary jargon, acronyms, or overly complex sentence structures.
Format with headings: Use actual heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2) rather than just making text bold or bigger.
Don’t rely on colour alone: Never use colour as the only way to convey information (e.g., “Required fields are in red”). If the colour is removed, the meaning should remain.
Check contrast and layout: Ensure all text stands out sharply against its background and look for any glaring layout issues or spelling errors.
Images & Media
Use Alt Text: Every meaningful image needs alt text; a 1 - 2 sentence description of what is in the image for someone who cannot see it
Skip decorative images: If an image is purely decorative, mark it as decorative or leave the alt text blank so screen readers ignore it.
Avoid text inside images: Don’t put crucial information inside an image file. If you must, ensure that exact text is typed out word-for-word in the alt text or a nearby caption.
Provide captions & transcripts: Any video with talking needs accurate captions. Podcasts or audio clips need a text transcript.
No auto-play: Avoid videos or music that start playing automatically when a page loads. If an animation or video loops, there must be a visible “Pause” button.
No rapid flashing: Ensure nothing flashes or blinks more than three times in a single second to prevent triggering seizures.
Links & Navigation
Write descriptive links: Avoid links that say “Click Here” or paste raw web addresses. Make the link text describe the destination (e.g., “Download the 2026 Strategy Guide”).
Warn about new tabs: If a link must open in a new tab, add a visual icon or text that says “(opens in new tab)”.
Keep layout predictable: Navigation menus, logos, and search bars should stay in the exact same place on every single page of your site.
Active Testing Workflow
The Keyboard Test: Put your mouse away and try to navigate the page using only your keyboard.
- Press the Tab key to move forward through buttons and links.
- Press Shift + Tab to move backward.
- Press Enter or Space to click/trigger an element.
The Focus Check: As you Tab through the page, ensure the order flows naturally (top-to-bottom, left-to-right). Crucially, make sure you can always see a high-contrast “focus box” outline around the item you are currently highlighting. If the indicator disappears, a keyboard user is flying blind.
The Zoom Test: Press Ctrl and + (or Cmd and + on a Mac) to zoom your browser window into 200%. Check to see if the text overlaps, gets cut off, or disappears. An accessible page will cleanly rearrange itself to fit the larger text.
Note on Screen Readers: these tools have a steep learning curve for beginners. If you find and address the above, you will already have fixed a solid majority of accessibility barriers.