Built-in browser zoom
Every browser can zoom a page. Zoom to double size and check whether text gets cut off, blocks overlap or the menu disappears.
Tools
Tools
You don't need paid software or special training for a first accessibility check. Almost everything you need is already built into your browser, computer and phone. Once you know where to find these features, you can spot most obvious barriers on your page in about half an hour.
The most honest test is to use your site the way other people do: without a mouse, with large text, or by ear.
About this section: we describe types of tools, not specific programs or extensions. Menu names differ from device to device, but these features exist in almost every modern operating system and browser.
What you'll need
A small toolkit that's enough to see your site through the eyes of different visitors.
The keyboard
Tab moves focus forward, Shift+Tab moves it back, and Enter activates a link or button. If something can't be reached without a mouse, plenty of people will notice.
System high contrast mode
Your computer's and phone's accessibility settings include a high contrast mode. Turn it on and check that icons, field borders and button outlines haven't vanished.
Built-in screen reader
Phones and computers come with a built-in feature that reads the screen aloud. Listen to your home page: do links make sense, are images described, are buttons announced?
Photo descriptions (in Russian)
Color contrast checker
Plenty of checkers will calculate the contrast ratio between two colors. Compare the result with the WCAG thresholds: 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
Markup validator
A markup checker flags unclosed elements, duplicate IDs and other errors that cause assistive technology to misread the page.
Related reading
- Guides
Step-by-step guides to making text readable, organizing a page with clear headings and building a contact form that works for everyone. Plus the article catalogue.
- Fixes
What to do when focus is invisible, text breaks on zoom, a button has no label, form errors make no sense or a video has no captions.
- Comparisons
Conformance levels A, AA and AAA; alt text vs. captions vs. transcripts; subtitles vs. transcripts vs. sign language, laid out in comparison tables.
- Glossary
Key terms explained: accessibility, WCAG, GOST R 52872-2019, contrast, alt text, focus, screen readers, captions and plain language.
- Risks
Accessibility traps: impossible CAPTCHAs, vanishing messages, flashing content, short timeouts, scans instead of text and overlays that promise to fix everything.
Sources
- W3C: WCAG 2.2 Recommendation
- GOST R 52872-2019 (Russian national standard)
- Wpget editorial materials
This information is stated in general terms as of the preparation date. Guidelines, browsers and reader habits change over time, so when in doubt, check the primary sources: the text of the WCAG guidelines and, for Russia, the current GOST R 52872-2019 standard.