Accessibility basics: fixing axe violations
axe-core finds the most common WCAG failures automatically. Critical and serious ones block real people; fix those first.
Step by step, with screenshots: Accessibility statement: what to write and how to keep it true →
Check your own site
Runs these 4 checks and the other 189, free, in about 45 seconds.
What it is
Web accessibility means building websites that people with disabilities can use, including people who are blind and use screen readers, who navigate with a keyboard, who zoom the page, or who have low vision or colour blindness. The standard is WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) from the W3C; version 2.2, published in October 2023, is the current one.
Accessible sites reach more customers and carry less legal risk: the European Accessibility Act has applied to many online shops and services since 28 June 2025, and website accessibility lawsuits are common in the US. getReport runs axe-core, the open-source engine behind many accessibility tools, and groups violations as critical, serious, moderate or minor. Automated tests find many issues but not all, so zero violations is a strong start, not proof of full WCAG conformance.
What a passing site looks like
- No critical accessibility violationsfail · −10 ptseffort M
- No serious accessibility violationsfail · −5 ptseffort M
- No moderate accessibility violationswarning · −1 ptseffort M
- No minor accessibility violationswarning · −0.5 ptseffort S
1. Critical accessibility issues
Why it matters. Critical issues stop some visitors from using the page at all, for example buttons a screen reader cannot name or forms that cannot be filled in.
- Open the technical detail to see each rule and the elements affected.
- Fix the highest-count rule first; the same template usually causes most instances.
2. Serious accessibility issues
Why it matters. Serious issues make parts of the page very hard to use with a screen reader, keyboard or zoomed-in display, so some visitors give up before they buy or get in touch.
- Open the technical detail to see each rule and the elements affected.
- Fix the rule with the most elements first; it is usually one template or component.
3. Moderate accessibility issues
Why it matters. Moderate issues slow visitors down rather than stopping them, for example headings out of order or regions without a name. Fixing them makes the page easier for everyone to scan.
- Open the technical detail to see each rule and the elements affected.
- Fix them in the shared layout or theme so every page benefits at once.
4. Minor accessibility issues
Why it matters. Minor issues are small inconsistencies that rarely block anyone but add friction for people who rely on assistive technology.
- Open the technical detail to see each rule and the elements affected.
- Fix them when you next touch the affected template.
Questions people ask
What does WCAG compliance mean?
It means a website meets the WCAG success criteria at a chosen level, almost always AA. Laws and contracts usually refer to WCAG 2.1 AA or 2.2 AA; the EU standard EN 301 549, used for the European Accessibility Act, currently points to WCAG 2.1 AA. Compliance covers every page and state, so it needs manual testing as well as automated scans.
What is new in WCAG 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 added nine success criteria, including focus not hidden behind sticky headers (2.4.11), a minimum target size of 24 by 24 CSS pixels (2.5.8), alternatives to dragging (2.5.7), consistent help (3.2.6), not asking for the same information twice (3.3.7) and login without puzzles (3.3.8). It removed 4.1.1 Parsing as obsolete. A site that meets 2.2 also meets 2.1.
Does the European Accessibility Act apply to my website?
Yes, if you sell products or services to consumers in the EU online, unless you are a microenterprise. Since 28 June 2025 the act covers e-commerce, banking, e-books, passenger transport and electronic communications; service providers with fewer than 10 staff and at most €2 million annual turnover are exempt. It also applies to businesses outside the EU that sell there. In practice it means meeting EN 301 549, which points to WCAG 2.1 AA.
What are WCAG levels A, AA and AAA?
Level A covers the most basic barriers, such as missing text alternatives or keyboard traps. Level AA adds criteria such as 4.5:1 colour contrast and visible keyboard focus, and it is the level laws and policies usually require. Level AAA is the strictest and is not expected for whole sites, because some of its criteria cannot be met for all content.