Shopify Accessibility Checklist

The 19 checks that matter most on a Shopify store, grouped by area, each with the WCAG criterion it comes from and a free tool to test it where one exists. Tick them off as you go; your progress stays in this browser.

WCAG level AA is what accessibility laws point to: EU law currently refers to WCAG 2.1 AA, and WCAG 2.2 AA includes all of it. This list is not the whole standard. It is the part that decides whether most shoppers who use a screen reader, a keyboard or zoom can buy from you.

Images

Every product image has alt text of its ownDescribe what the photo shows that the product title does not: colour, angle, detail. Without it, most themes read the product title for every image.WCAG / law: 1.1.1 (A) Check with the alt text checker
No alt text is just a file name"IMG_4031.jpg" is read aloud exactly like that.WCAG / law: 1.1.1 (A) Check with the alt text checker
Text in banners is also in the pageA sale announced only inside an image cannot be read by a screen reader, translated, or zoomed without blurring.WCAG / law: 1.4.5 (AA)

Colour and text

Body text, links and buttons meet 4.5 to 1 contrastMeasured against the colour actually drawn: many themes draw body text partly transparent.WCAG / law: 1.4.3 (AA) Check with the contrast checker
Large headings meet 3 to 1About 24px, or 19px bold, and up.WCAG / law: 1.4.3 (AA) Check with the contrast checker
Links are not marked by colour aloneUnderline links in body text, so people who cannot tell the colours apart can still find them.WCAG / law: 1.4.1 (A)
Pinch-to-zoom is allowedShoppers on phones must be able to zoom in. Some themes switch it off in the viewport tag.WCAG / law: 1.4.4 (AA) Check with the accessibility checker

Navigation and keyboard

Everything works with a keyboard aloneTab through the menu, a product, add to cart and the cart drawer. If you get stuck, so does a keyboard user.WCAG / law: 2.1.1 (A)
The focus ring is visibleMany themes hide the outline that shows where the keyboard is. Without it, keyboard users are lost.WCAG / law: 2.4.7 (AA)
A skip link jumps past the menuLets keyboard and screen reader users reach the content without tabbing through every menu item.WCAG / law: 2.4.1 (A) Check with the accessibility checker
Icon buttons and links have namesCart, search, menu and social icons must announce what they do, not just "button".WCAG / law: 4.1.2 (A), 2.4.4 (A) Check with the accessibility checker
Tap targets are at least 24 by 24 pixelsQuantity steppers and colour swatches are the usual offenders.WCAG / law: 2.5.8 (AA, WCAG 2.2)

Structure and forms

Each page has one main headingScreen reader users jump between headings to find their way around a page.WCAG / law: 1.3.1 (A) Check with the accessibility checker
Every form field has a labelSearch, newsletter and contact fields need a real label, not only placeholder text that disappears.WCAG / law: 1.3.1 (A), 3.3.2 (A) Check with the accessibility checker
Pages declare their languageSo screen readers pronounce them correctly, including each translated version.WCAG / law: 3.1.1 (A) Check translations too
Videos have captionsProduct and brand videos need captions for shoppers who cannot hear them.WCAG / law: 1.2.2 (A)

Statement and law

An accessibility statement is linked from every pageName a standard, list known issues, give a way to get help, and date it.WCAG / law: EAA (EU) Write one with the generator
You know whether the EAA applies to youIt covers businesses selling to EU consumers, with an exemption for microenterprises.WCAG / law: Directive (EU) 2019/882 Check with the EAA readiness check
You are not relying on an overlay widgetA widget does not fix your theme or product data, and is no substitute for the items above.WCAG / law: All of the above Check with the overlay checker

What a checklist cannot tell you

Automated checks find the measurable problems. Whether your checkout can be completed with a screen reader, whether your alt text is accurate and whether your error messages make sense needs a person. Once the list above is done, have someone who uses assistive technology try to buy something.

Work through the list faster

Remedy is our Shopify app. It scans your storefront in a real browser with axe-core and maps every finding to its WCAG 2.2 criterion. It writes image descriptions into your product data and corrects contrast, tap target size, links marked only by colour and the focus ring through its app block, testing each fix on your store first. It keeps a dated record of what was found, fixed and still open. The Audit plan is free.

See Remedy on the Shopify App Store

More free tools: all our free Shopify store checkers.