Accessibility Audit Guide

Last Updated: January 2025

Complete guide to conducting comprehensive accessibility audits. Learn how to systematically evaluate your website for WCAG 2.2 compliance.

What is an Accessibility Audit?

An accessibility audit is a systematic evaluation of your website to identify barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing and using your content. A comprehensive audit combines automated testing, manual testing, and user feedback.

Automated tools catch ~30-40%

Manual testing is essential for comprehensive audits

Regular audits are crucial

Conduct audits quarterly or after major updates

7-Step Audit Process

Step 11-2 hours

Planning and Preparation

Define scope, goals, and methodology

Tasks:

Define audit scope (entire site, specific pages, or features)
Set compliance target (WCAG 2.2 Level AA recommended)
Choose testing methods (automated, manual, user testing)
Gather necessary tools and resources
Create audit checklist based on WCAG criteria
Set timeline and assign responsibilities

Step 22-4 hours

Automated Testing

Run automated accessibility scanners

Tasks:

Use axe DevTools browser extension
Run WAVE evaluation tool
Test with Lighthouse accessibility audit
Use AI Audit Helper for comprehensive scanning
Document all automated findings
Prioritize issues by severity

Tools:

axe DevToolsWAVELighthouseAI Audit Helper

Step 33-5 hours

Manual Keyboard Testing

Test all functionality with keyboard only

Tasks:

Unplug mouse and navigate entire site with Tab key
Test all interactive elements (buttons, links, forms)
Verify focus indicators are visible
Check for keyboard traps
Test skip links functionality
Verify logical tab order

Step 44-6 hours

Screen Reader Testing

Test with assistive technologies

Tasks:

Test with NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (Mac)
Navigate through all pages and features
Verify content is announced correctly
Check ARIA labels and roles
Test form interactions
Verify heading structure navigation

Tools:

NVDAVoiceOverJAWSNarrator

Step 52-3 hours

Visual and Design Review

Review visual accessibility aspects

Tasks:

Check color contrast ratios (use contrast checker)
Test with browser zoom (200%)
Test with high contrast mode
Verify text is resizable
Check for color-only information
Review focus indicators visibility

Step 68-16 hours

User Testing (Optional but Recommended)

Get feedback from users with disabilities

Tasks:

Recruit users with various disabilities
Conduct usability testing sessions
Observe real-world usage patterns
Collect feedback on barriers
Document user-reported issues
Prioritize based on user impact

Step 74-6 hours

Documentation and Reporting

Create comprehensive audit report

Tasks:

Compile all findings into report
Categorize issues by WCAG criteria
Prioritize by severity and impact
Provide remediation recommendations
Include screenshots and examples
Set compliance timeline

WCAG 2.2 Audit Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure you're testing all WCAG 2.2 success criteria:

View Complete WCAG Checklist

Related Resources

Testing Guide

Detailed testing methods

Testing Tools

Accessibility testing tools

Implementation Guide

Fix issues found in audit

Best Practices

Prevent issues proactively

7-Step Audit Process

Step 11-2 hours

Planning and Preparation

Define scope, goals, and methodology

Tasks:

Define audit scope (entire site, specific pages, or features)
Set compliance target (WCAG 2.2 Level AA recommended)
Choose testing methods (automated, manual, user testing)
Gather necessary tools and resources
Create audit checklist based on WCAG criteria
Set timeline and assign responsibilities

Step 22-4 hours

Automated Testing

Run automated accessibility scanners

Tasks:

Use axe DevTools browser extension
Run WAVE evaluation tool
Test with Lighthouse accessibility audit
Use AI Audit Helper for comprehensive scanning
Document all automated findings
Prioritize issues by severity

Tools:

axe DevToolsWAVELighthouseAI Audit Helper

Step 33-5 hours

Manual Keyboard Testing

Test all functionality with keyboard only

Tasks:

Unplug mouse and navigate entire site with Tab key
Test all interactive elements (buttons, links, forms)
Verify focus indicators are visible
Check for keyboard traps
Test skip links functionality
Verify logical tab order

Step 44-6 hours

Screen Reader Testing

Test with assistive technologies

Tasks:

Test with NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (Mac)
Navigate through all pages and features
Verify content is announced correctly
Check ARIA labels and roles
Test form interactions
Verify heading structure navigation

Tools:

NVDAVoiceOverJAWSNarrator

Step 52-3 hours

Visual and Design Review

Review visual accessibility aspects

Tasks:

Check color contrast ratios (use contrast checker)
Test with browser zoom (200%)
Test with high contrast mode
Verify text is resizable
Check for color-only information
Review focus indicators visibility

Step 68-16 hours

User Testing (Optional but Recommended)

Get feedback from users with disabilities

Tasks:

Recruit users with various disabilities
Conduct usability testing sessions
Observe real-world usage patterns
Collect feedback on barriers
Document user-reported issues
Prioritize based on user impact

Step 74-6 hours

Documentation and Reporting

Create comprehensive audit report

Tasks:

Compile all findings into report
Categorize issues by WCAG criteria
Prioritize by severity and impact
Provide remediation recommendations
Include screenshots and examples
Set compliance timeline