Web accessibility checklist: 20 things your site should be doing

We have talked a lot about why web accessibility matters, what accessible content looks like, and the design details that make a real difference. This post is the quick reference version, use it as a web accessibility checklist you can actually run through and measure your site against.

Content and language

1. Your headings actually mean something.
Headings are not just for making text look bigger. They create a logical structure that screen readers use to help users navigate the page. H1 for your title, H2 for main sections, H3 for sub-points. In order. Every time.

2. You’re writing for humans, not robots.
Clear, plain language. No unexplained acronyms. No jargon that assumes the reader already knows what you know. If your grandmother and your most technical client can both understand it, you’re on the right track.

3. Your link text is actually descriptive.
If someone read only your links out loud, would they make sense? “Click here” and “read more” tell nobody anything. “Learn more about our web design process” tells them exactly where they are going. We covered this one in detail here.

4. Every page has a descriptive title.
Your browser tab should tell someone what page they are on, not just your business name repeated on every single page.

5. There is a way to contact you on every page.
Do not make people hunt for a way to reach you. A link to your contact page in your navigation, your footer, or both. Every page. Done.

Images and media

6. Every image has an alt tag.
Screen readers read alt text to describe images to users who cannot see them. Search engines read them too. No alt tag means the image is invisible to both. This one is non-negotiable.

7. Your videos have captions.
If your video communicates something — a message, a story, information — it needs captions. Not everyone can hear it, and a surprising number of people watch with the sound off anyway. More on when captions are required here.

8. Videos with complex visual content have audio descriptions.
If something important is happening on screen that is not explained in the audio, users who are blind or have low vision will miss it entirely. Audio descriptions fill that gap.

Design and visuals

9. Your colour contrast passes the test.
Dark text on a light background, or light on dark. Avoid colours that blend into each other. Use a free contrast checker to verify — WebAIM’s tool takes thirty seconds. More on colour contrast here.

10. Your design is clean and uncluttered.
White space is not wasted space. A clean, clear layout is easier for everyone to navigate, especially users with cognitive or attention challenges. Less is genuinely more.

11. Text size can be adjusted.
Users should be able to increase the font size in their browser without your layout breaking. If your site falls apart when someone bumps up the text, that is a design problem.

Navigation and structure

12. Your navigation is logical and consistent.
Menus should behave the same way across every page. Visitors should never have to figure out how to find things, it should be obvious.

13. There’s a sitemap.
A sitemap helps search engines find everything on your site and gives users an overview of your content structure. It should exist. It should be current.

14. There is a search function.
Especially important on larger sites. If someone cannot find what they need through your navigation, search is the backup that keeps them on your site instead of bouncing.

15. Users can skip past repeating elements.
Navigation menus repeat on every page. For keyboard users and screen reader users who have to tab through every link to get to the actual content, a “skip to main content” link at the top of the page is a small addition that makes a significant difference.

Technical foundations

16. Your site works on a keyboard alone.
Put your mouse down and try navigating your site using only the Tab key. Can you get everywhere? Can you see where you are at any point? If not, your keyboard focus needs attention.

17. Your site works with screen readers and assistive technology.
This one ties into your semantic HTML structure. Using heading tags, list tags, and other HTML elements the way they are intended to be used so assistive technology can interpret the page correctly.

18. Your site is responsive.
It should work on a phone, a tablet, a desktop, and a large monitor without breaking. In 2026, this should be obvious but it’s still worth confirming.

19. Your HTML is clean and semantic.
Properly structured HTML5 code is the foundation everything else is built on. It is what allows browsers, search engines, and assistive technologies to all interpret your site correctly.

20. You actually test for accessibility.
Tools like WAVE by WebAIM let you run a free automated accessibility scan on any page. It will not catch everything, but it will catch a lot and it’s a good place to start.

How did your site do? If you are counting gaps and not loving the number, let’s talk about what it would take to close them.