How to find the biggest reg flags and create a short fix list:
You don’t need to be a developer to spot common accessibility problems. This quick check helps you find issues that can block people who use screen readers, keyboards, captions, or other assistive tools.
Before you start (1 minute)
- Pick one page to check (a homepage, a service page, or a popular page).
- Open the page in a browser.
- Have these free tools ready (optional but helpful):
- ANDI
- WebAim Color Contrast Checker
- Your Keyboard (yes, really)
Pro Tip: If your website has a lot of pages and uses templates, don’t stress! You don’t need to check every page to get a good idea of what needs your attention – just test unique template designs. If there’s something going on that needs fixing on one page, it’s very likely going to be a universal issue across all pages that use the same template design.
Step 1: Check headings (2 minutes)
Headings help people scan information and help screen readers understand the page.
What to do:
- 1. Look for a clear page title at the top (usually the H1).
- 2. Scan down the page. Headings should look like an outline: – H1 (main title) – H2 (main sections) – H3 (sub-sections)
Quick pass / fail:
- Pass: Headings are in order and describe the content.
- Fix it: Don’t skip levels (like H2 straight to H4). Don’t use headings just to make text big.
WCAG 2.2 tie-in: 1.3.1 Info and Relationships
Step 2: Check color contrast (2 minutes)
Low contrast makes text hard to read, especially for people with low vision or color blindness.
What to do:
- 1. Look at body text, buttons, links, and text on colored backgrounds.
- 2. Test a few examples with a contrast checker.
Quick pass / fail:
- Pass: Normal text meets at least 4.5:1 contrast.
- Pass (large text): At least 3:1.
- Fix it: Darken the text, lighten the background, or both.
WCAG 2.2 tie-in: 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)
Step 3: Check images for alt text (1 minute)
Alt text is what screen readers read for images.
What to do:
- 1. Find a few key images (logos, buttons, icons, photos with meaning).
- 2. Ask: “If I couldn’t see this image, would I miss important info?”
Quick pass / fail:
- Pass: Important images have helpful alt text.
- Pass: Decorative images have empty alt text (so screen readers skip them).
- Fix it: Add short, clear alt text that matches the purpose.
WCAG 2.2 tie-in: 1.1.1 Non-text Content
Step 4: Check video/audio captions + controls (3 minutes)
People who are Deaf or hard of hearing need captions. People with attention, cognitive, or vestibular needs may need to pause or stop motion.
What to do:
- 1. If there is video with speech, turn on captions.
- 2. Make sure there is a way to pause/stop moving content (like auto-playing sliders or background video).
Quick pass / fail:
- Pass: Captions are available for videos with speech.
- Pass: Users can pause/stop moving content.
- Fix it: Add captions, or provide a transcript. Add visible pause/stop controls.
WCAG 2.2 tie-ins: – 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) – 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide
Step 5: Check for flashing content (1 minute)
Flashing can trigger migraines, dizziness, nausea, and even seizures for some people.
What to do:
Look for anything that flashes, strobes, or rapidly blinks.
Quick pass / fail:
- Pass: No flashing, or it’s very limited.
- Fix it: Remove flashing or redesign it.
WCAG 2.2 tie-in: 2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold
Step 6: Do a keyboard-only test (4 minutes)
Some people cannot use a mouse. Your site must work with a keyboard.
What to do:
- 1. Put your mouse aside.
- 2. Use Tab to move forward through links, buttons, and form fields.
- 3. Use Shift + Tab to move backward.
- 4. Use Enter to activate buttons/links.
- 5. Use arrow keys in menus when needed.
Look for these problems:
- Keyboard trap: You can tab into something, but you can’t tab out.
- No focus indicator: You can’t tell where you are on the page.
- Order is weird: Focus jumps around in a confusing way.
Quick pass / fail:
- Pass: You can reach everything and leave everything.
- Fix it: Repair keyboard support, focus order, and focus visibility.
WCAG 2.2 tie-ins: – 2.1.1 Keyboard – 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap – 2.4.7 Focus Visible (and 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) in WCAG 2.2)
Step 7: Check popups and dialogs (1 minute)
Popups can block access if they steal focus, trap focus, or are hard to close.
What to do:
- 1. Trigger any popup you see (newsletter signup, cookie banner, chat widget).
- 2. Try to use it with the keyboard: – Tab into it – Find the close button – Close it – Make sure focus returns to a sensible place.
Quick pass / fail:
- Pass: Popup is easy to close and works by keyboard.
- Fix it: Ensure focus moves into the popup, stays inside while open, and returns after closing.
WCAG 2.2 tie-ins: – 2.1.1 Keyboard – 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap – 2.4.3 Focus Order – 2.4.7 Focus Visible
Step 8: Checking for meaningful links (1 Minute)
Links should make sense on their own. This helps everyone, and its a must for screen reader users who often scan a list of links.
What to do:
- 1. Look for links in menus, buttons, and in the middle of paragraphs.
- 2. Ask: If I only read the link words, would I know where it goes?
Quick pass / fail:
- Pass: Links are specific, like Download the accessibility checklist or View training dates.
- Fix it: Avoid vague links like Click here, Read more, or Learn more (unless the full link text includes the topic).
WCAG 2.2 tie-in: 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context)
Your 2-minute wrap-up: Make a simple fix list
Write down what you found. Keep it short.
Example fix list:
- Add real H2 headings to the “Services” and “Pricing” sections (include the webpage link that has the reported issue).
- Increase contrast on the pink button text (include the webpage link that has the reported issue).
- Add alt text to the “Download Guide” icon (include the webpage link that has the reported issue).
- Add captions to the intro video (include the webpage link that has the reported issue).
- Fix keyboard focus getting stuck in the menu (include the webpage link that has the reported issue).
- Make the newsletter popup easier to close with Tab + Enter (include the webpage link that has the reported issue).
Pro Tip: Make sure you include the exact web address for each reported issue so that you don’t have to re-find the issue later.
What this audit is (and isn’t)
This is a fast first check, not a full audit. If you find issues, that’s normal—and it’s a great starting point.
Next step: Pick the top 3 issues that block users the most (keyboard access, captions, contrast) and fix those first.
Contact our team for interactive training and resources. We’re here to help you!