Accessibility · 6 min read
WCAG 2.2 explained: what changed and what your website needs to do.
Short answer
WCAG 2.2 is the current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published by the W3C in October 2023. It adds nine success criteria, six of them at Levels A and AA, covering focus visibility, target size, dragging, consistent help, redundant entry and accessible login. It also removes the old 4.1.1 Parsing criterion.
What is WCAG 2.2?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the international standard for making websites usable by people with disabilities, including people who are blind, have low vision, are deaf, or have motor or cognitive impairments. WCAG 2.2 became a W3C Recommendation on 5 October 2023.
WCAG 2.2 builds on WCAG 2.1 rather than replacing it. Everything in 2.1 is still there, with one exception, and nine new success criteria have been added. If your website conforms to WCAG 2.2, it also conforms to 2.1 and 2.0.
You can read the full standard at the W3C (opens in a new tab), and the W3C's own summary of what's new in WCAG 2.2 (opens in a new tab) is worth bookmarking.
A, AA and AAA: which level do you need?
WCAG success criteria are grouped into three conformance levels. Level A covers the most basic requirements. Level AA covers the barriers that affect the most people, and Level AAA is the strictest.
Level AA is the target that laws, policies and contracts almost always reference. When people talk about an accessible website, they usually mean one that meets WCAG 2.2 AA, or 2.1 AA in older policies. Level AAA is rarely required for a whole site, though individual AAA criteria are worth adopting where they make sense.
The 9 new success criteria in WCAG 2.2
| Criterion | Level | In plain language |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) | AA | When an element receives keyboard focus, it isn't completely hidden by sticky headers, banners or chat widgets. |
| 2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) | AAA | No part of the focused element is hidden. |
| 2.4.13 Focus Appearance | AAA | The focus indicator is large and high-contrast enough to see easily. |
| 2.5.7 Dragging Movements | AA | Anything you can do by dragging can also be done with a single tap or click. |
| 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) | AA | Clickable targets are at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels, or have enough space around them. |
| 3.2.6 Consistent Help | A | Help options, such as contact details or a chat link, appear in the same place on every page. |
| 3.3.7 Redundant Entry | A | Users aren't asked for the same information twice in one process, unless it's essential. |
| 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) | AA | Logging in doesn't require a memory or puzzle test, such as transcribing a code, without an alternative. |
| 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) | AAA | A stricter version of 3.3.8, with fewer exceptions. |
Six of the nine are at Level A or AA, so they apply to anyone targeting WCAG 2.2 AA. The three AAA criteria are good practice but not usually required.
What was removed from WCAG 2.2
WCAG 2.2 removes success criterion 4.1.1 Parsing. It required valid, well-formed HTML, which mattered when assistive technology parsed markup directly. Modern browsers and screen readers handle this themselves, so the criterion no longer added protection.
Clean markup is still good practice, and broken HTML can still cause real accessibility problems. Those problems are now covered by other criteria, such as 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.
WCAG 2.2 fixes most websites need
In our audits, a handful of WCAG 2.2 issues come up on almost every website. The good news is that most are straightforward to fix once you know where to look.
- Sticky headers covering focus. Add scroll padding so focused links and fields scroll clear of fixed headers and cookie banners.
- Small tap targets. Icon buttons, pagination links and social icons are often smaller than 24 by 24 pixels. Increase the clickable area, not necessarily the icon.
- Drag-only controls. Sliders, carousels, sortable lists and maps need buttons or other single-pointer alternatives.
- Help that moves around. Keep your contact link, phone number or chat in a consistent place across pages.
- Forms that ask twice. Pre-fill or offer a "same as billing" option instead of asking for an address again.
- Login puzzles. Allow password managers and paste, and offer alternatives to image CAPTCHAs.
Our own site uses a sticky header, so 2.4.11 was one of the first things we tested. The fix was a few lines of CSS.
WCAG 2.2 and the law: ADA, EAA and beyond
Accessibility laws rarely name a specific WCAG version for every organisation, and requirements differ by country and sector. Broadly, WCAG AA is the benchmark used in practice, and WCAG 2.2 AA is the safest target for a new or redesigned website.
- United States: the ADA doesn't specify a technical standard for private businesses, but WCAG AA is the benchmark courts and settlements usually reference. The Department of Justice's 2024 rule for state and local government websites adopts WCAG 2.1 AA.
- European Union: the European Accessibility Act has applied since 28 June 2025 to many consumer-facing products and services, including ecommerce. Its technical standard currently maps closely to WCAG 2.1 AA.
- United Kingdom: public sector websites are expected to meet WCAG 2.2 AA, and the Equality Act 2010 applies to service providers more broadly.
- India: the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 sets accessibility obligations, with government standards based on WCAG.
This article is general information, not legal advice. If you have a specific legal question, speak to a qualified lawyer in your market.
How to test your website against WCAG 2.2
Automated tools are a good first step, and they're free. Browser extensions such as axe DevTools or WAVE will flag missing alt text, low contrast and form fields without labels in minutes.
But automated tools only catch part of the picture. They can't tell whether focus order makes sense, whether a screen reader announces a menu correctly, or whether an error message is helpful. For that, you need manual testing.
- Unplug your mouse and complete your key tasks with a keyboard alone.
- Zoom the browser to 200% and 400% and check nothing is cut off or overlapping.
- Navigate your main pages with a screen reader such as NVDA, VoiceOver or TalkBack.
- Check every form for clear labels, helpful errors and no repeated questions.
What about WCAG 3?
WCAG 3 is in development at the W3C and is still a working draft. It will take a different approach to scoring, but it's years away from being a finished standard, let alone a legal requirement.
The practical advice is simple: target WCAG 2.2 AA today. The work you do now, such as clear structure, keyboard support and readable content, will carry forward to whatever comes next.
Frequently asked questions
Is WCAG 2.2 a legal requirement?
It depends on your country, sector and customers. Many laws and policies reference WCAG Level AA, some name version 2.1 and some 2.2. Targeting WCAG 2.2 AA covers the earlier versions too.
Does WCAG 2.2 replace WCAG 2.1?
WCAG 2.2 is the latest version, and the W3C encourages using it for new work. Because it's backwards compatible, a site that meets WCAG 2.2 AA also meets WCAG 2.1 AA.
What is the minimum target size in WCAG 2.2?
Success criterion 2.5.8 asks for pointer targets of at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels, with exceptions, for example when there is enough spacing around a smaller target or the target is a link within a sentence.
How long does a WCAG 2.2 audit take?
For a standard 5-10 page website, our audits take around 2-3 days. Larger sites take longer and are sampled by page template.
Can automated tools confirm WCAG 2.2 conformance?
No. Automated tools are useful for finding common issues quickly, but many criteria need human judgement, so conformance needs manual testing as well.
Need help with this?
We audit and fix websites to WCAG 2.2 AA. Find out where yours stands.
