If you've ever asked "how to make your website WCAG compliant?" — you're not alone. Making a website WCAG compliant means ensuring it is accessible to people with disabilities, including those who are blind, deaf, have motor impairments, or cognitive disabilities. With over 5,100 ADA lawsuits filed in 2025, WCAG compliance is no longer optional — it's a legal necessity.

This comprehensive guide provides a step-by-step process to make your website WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliant, with practical tips, checklists, and free tools to help you along the way.

Step 1: Understand WCAG 2.1 Level AA Requirements

Before you start fixing your website, you need to understand what WCAG 2.1 Level AA requires. WCAG 2.1 Level AA includes 50+ success criteria organized around four principles (POUR):

• Perceivable: Users must be able to perceive the content
• Operable: Users must be able to navigate and interact
• Understandable: Users must be able to understand the content
• Robust: Content must work with assistive technologies

The most common WCAG 2.1 Level AA violations include:

• Missing or empty alt text (1.1.1)
• Low color contrast (1.4.3)
• Keyboard navigation issues (2.1.1)
• Missing form labels (3.3.2)
• No language declaration (3.1.1)

Step 2: Audit Your Website with a Free WCAG Checker

The first step to compliance is understanding where your website stands. Use a free WCAG compliance checker to scan your website against WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.

After scanning, you'll receive:

• Compliance Score: 0-100% overall score
• Violations List: Specific issues that need fixing
• Warnings: Potential issues to review
• Passed Checks: Areas where you're already compliant
• Fix Recommendations: Actionable steps to fix each issue

Step 3: Fix Critical Violations First

Start with the most critical violations that are easiest to fix and have the biggest impact:

Step 4: Test with Screen Readers

Automated tools can only catch about 30-40% of accessibility issues. Manual testing with screen readers is essential:

• NVDA (Windows): Free screen reader for Windows
• VoiceOver (Mac): Built-in screen reader for Mac
• TalkBack (Android): Built-in screen reader for Android
• VoiceOver (iOS): Built-in screen reader for iOS

Use our free screen reader compatibility checker to test your website.

Step 5: Test Keyboard Navigation Manually

Test your website using only your keyboard:

• Tab: Move forward through interactive elements
• Shift + Tab: Move backward
• Enter: Activate links and buttons
• Space: Activate buttons and checkboxes
• Arrow Keys: Navigate dropdowns and menus
• Escape: Close modals and menus

Use our free keyboard navigation checker to test your website.

Step 6: Test Mobile Accessibility

WCAG 2.1 includes specific requirements for mobile accessibility:

• Touch targets: At least 44x44px (2.5.5)
• Content reflow: Content must reflow to 320px width (1.4.10)
• Pointer gestures: Must have alternatives (2.5.1)

Use our free mobile accessibility scanner to test your website.

Step 7: Document Everything

Keep records of your compliance efforts. This documentation is your legal defense if a lawsuit is filed:

• Scan reports: Save PDF reports from each scan
• Fix logs: Document what you fixed and when
• Testing records: Record manual testing results
• Accessibility statement: Publish an accessibility statement on your website

Step 8: Retest Regularly

Websites change constantly — new pages, images, forms, and third-party widgets can introduce accessibility issues. Monthly scans are recommended to catch violations before they become lawsuits.

Quick WCAG 2.1 Level AA Checklist

Images & Media

• ✅ All images have descriptive alt text (1.1.1)
• ✅ All video has captions (1.2.2)
• ✅ All audio has transcripts (1.2.1)
• ✅ No auto-playing audio without controls (1.4.2)

Color & Design

• ✅ Color contrast: 4.5:1 for normal text (1.4.3)
• ✅ Color is not the only way to convey meaning (1.4.1)
• ✅ Text resizes up to 200% without breaking (1.4.4)
• ✅ Content reflows to 320px width (1.4.10)
• ✅ Non-text contrast of 3:1 (1.4.11)

Navigation

• ✅ All functionality works with keyboard (2.1.1)
• ✅ Focus indicators are visible (2.4.7)
• ✅ Skip navigation link exists (2.4.1)
• ✅ Tab order is logical (2.4.3)
• ✅ Touch targets are at least 44x44px (2.5.5)

Forms

• ✅ All form fields have visible labels (3.3.2)
• ✅ Error messages are clear (3.3.1)
• ✅ Error suggestions provided (3.3.3)

Structure

• ✅ Proper heading hierarchy (H1 → H2 → H3) (1.3.1)
• ✅ HTML lang attribute set (3.1.1)
• ✅ Page titles are descriptive (2.4.2)
• ✅ Landmarks used (header, main, navigation, footer) (1.3.1)

Frequently Asked Questions — How to Make Website WCAG Compliant

Internal Links — WCAG Resources