Accessibility is part of whether a website works, not a decorative feature added after the design is finished. A first pass cannot certify complete compliance, but it can uncover substantial barriers. Combine practical manual checks with automated tools and continue improving as the site changes.
Try the page without a mouse
Use the keyboard to move through links, buttons, menus, and form controls. Check that the order makes sense and the focused element is visibly identifiable. A control that only appears on hover or cannot be reached through ordinary keyboard navigation needs a different implementation.
Open and close menus, activate buttons, and dismiss temporary interfaces where applicable. Focus should not become trapped in a nonmodal component or vanish into an invisible region. After an interaction changes the page, make sure the next useful action remains reachable without starting again at the top.
Use meaningful structure and names
Give the page a descriptive main heading and organize sections with meaningful headings. Use links for navigation and buttons for actions. Prefer native controls where they provide the required behavior, because recreating a familiar control with arbitrary elements can introduce extra keyboard and screen-reader work.
Make link text useful outside its surrounding paragraph when possible. Describe an informative image with appropriate alternative text, and avoid announcing purely decorative artwork as though it were essential content. A visible form label should identify the field rather than relying solely on placeholder text that disappears during typing.
Check readability under different conditions
Inspect text contrast against the actual background, including subdued labels, buttons, and text placed over artwork. Do not use color alone to communicate a selected state or an error. Zoom the page and check that important content remains readable without being clipped or covered by fixed elements.
Test a narrow layout with long titles and realistic content, not just short placeholders. A design can appear comfortable in a desktop screenshot while forcing horizontal scrolling on a phone. Respect reduced-motion preferences for nonessential animation and avoid motion that interferes with reading or interacting.
Make changes and errors understandable
When a field is invalid, explain what is wrong and how to correct it. Preserve the information the visitor already entered where safe. Do not display a successful submission message unless the receiving system actually confirmed the operation you promised.
For dynamic interfaces, announce concise status updates without repeatedly reading the entire page. A filtered list can report the number of results, while a load-more control can explain that new items appeared. Automatic updates should not unexpectedly move keyboard focus away from the current task.
Treat an automated scan as one input
Run an established accessibility checker and fix the issues it can identify, but do not equate a clean scan with universal usability. Tools cannot determine every aspect of understandable wording, logical interaction, or whether an image description conveys the right information in context.
Where possible, involve people who use different assistive technologies and browsing methods. Record the scope of your checks and retest affected interactions after changes. Accessibility work is most effective when it becomes a normal part of publishing and development rather than a one-time badge.
Go to the source
Policies and product details can change. Check the official documentation before acting.
General educational information, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Examples are illustrative; results and earnings are not guaranteed.