Quick reference: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0

Below you will find a quick reference to the principles, guidelines and success criteria in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Unfortunately, the guidelines are not always easy to read, making first steps somewhat cumbersome. This page was created to simplify access to the guidelines.

Display success criteria:

The first step to web accessibility can be achieved by satisfying conformance requirements and conforming to level A success criteria.
After establishing basic accessibility further success criteria at level AA and level AAA should be attempted.
Currently 61 of 61 Success Criteria are being displayed.

Level A

Level AA

Level AAA

Conformance requirements

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Principles, guidelines and success criteria

Principle 1 - Perceivable - Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.

Guideline 1.1 - Text Alternatives

• Success criterion 1.1.1 - Non-text Content [Level A]

Guideline 1.2 - Time-based Media

• Success criterion 1.2.1 - Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) [Level A]
• Success criterion 1.2.2 - Captions (Prerecorded) [Level A]
• Success criterion 1.2.3 - Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) [Level A]
• Success criterion 1.2.4 - Captions (Live) [Level AA]
• Success criterion 1.2.5 - Audio Description (Prerecorded) [Level AA]
• Success criterion 1.2.6 - Sign Language (Prerecorded) [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 1.2.7 - Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 1.2.8 - Media Alternative (Prerecorded) [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 1.2.9 - Audio-only (Live) [Level AAA]

Guideline 1.3 - Adaptable

• Success criterion 1.3.1 - Info and Relationships [Level A]
• Success criterion 1.3.2 - Meaningful Sequence [Level A]
• Success criterion 1.3.3 - Sensory Characteristics [Level A]

Guideline 1.4 - Distinguishable

• Success criterion 1.4.1 - Use of Color [Level A]
• Success criterion 1.4.2 - Audio Control [Level A]
• Success criterion 1.4.3 - Contrast (Minimum) [Level AA]
• Success criterion 1.4.4 - Resize text [Level AA]
• Success criterion 1.4.5 - Images of Text [Level AA]
• Success criterion 1.4.6 - Contrast (Enhanced) [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 1.4.7 - Low or No Background Audio [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 1.4.8 - Visual Presentation [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 1.4.9 - Images of Text (No Exception) [Level AAA]

Principle 2 - Operable - User interface components and navigation must be operable.

Guideline 2.1 - Keyboard Accessible

• Success criterion 2.1.1 - Keyboard [Level A]
• Success criterion 2.1.2 - No Keyboard Trap [Level A]
• Success criterion 2.1.3 - Keyboard (No Exception) [Level AAA]

Guideline 2.2 - Enough Time

• Success criterion 2.2.1 - Timing Adjustable [Level A]
• Success criterion 2.2.2 - Pause, Stop, Hide [Level A]
• Success criterion 2.2.3 - No Timing [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 2.2.4 - Interruptions [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 2.2.5 - Re-authenticating [Level AAA]

Guideline 2.3 - Seizures

• Success criterion 2.3.1 - Three Flashes or Below Threshold [Level A]
• Success criterion 2.3.2 - Three Flashes [Level AAA]

Guideline 2.4 - Navigable

• Success criterion 2.4.1 - Bypass Blocks [Level A]
• Success criterion 2.4.2 - Page Titled [Level A]
• Success criterion 2.4.3 - Focus Order [Level A]
• Success criterion 2.4.4 - Link Purpose (In Context) [Level A]
• Success criterion 2.4.5 - Multiple Ways [Level AA]
• Success criterion 2.4.6 - Headings and Labels [Level AA]
• Success criterion 2.4.7 - Focus Visible [Level AA]
• Success criterion 2.4.8 - Location [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 2.4.9 - Link Purpose (Link Only) [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 2.4.10 - Section Headings [Level AAA]

Principle 3 - Understandable - Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable.

Guideline 3.1 - Readable

• Success criterion 3.1.1 - Language of Page [Level A]
• Success criterion 3.1.2 - Language of Parts [Level AA]
• Success criterion 3.1.3 - Unusual Words [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 3.1.4 - Abbreviations [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 3.1.5 - Reading Level [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 3.1.6 - Pronunciation [Level AAA]

Guideline 3.2 - Predictable

• Success criterion 3.2.1 - On Focus [Level A]
• Success criterion 3.2.2 - On Input [Level A]
• Success criterion 3.2.3 - Consistent Navigation [Level AA]
• Success criterion 3.2.4 - Consistent Identification [Level AA]
• Success criterion 3.2.5 - Change on Request [Level AAA]

Guideline 3.3 - Input Assistance

• Success criterion 3.3.1 - Error Identification [Level A]
• Success criterion 3.3.2 - Labels or Instructions [Level A]
• Success criterion 3.3.3 - Error Suggestion [Level AA]
• Success criterion 3.3.4 - Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) [Level AA]
• Success criterion 3.3.5 - Help [Level AAA]
• Success criterion 3.3.6 - Error Prevention (All) [Level AAA]

Principle 4 - Robust - Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.

Guideline 4.1 - Compatible

• Success criterion 4.1.1 - Parsing [Level A]
• Success criterion 4.1.2 - Name, Role, Value [Level A]

Conformance Requirements

In order for a Web page to conform to WCAG 2.0, all of the following conformance requirements must be satisfied:

• Conformance requirement 1 - Conformance Level
• Conformance requirement 2 - Full pages
• Conformance requirement 3 - Complete processes
• Conformance requirement 4 - Only Accessibility-Supported Ways of Using Technologies
• Conformance requirement 5 - Non-Interference