All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose, except for the situations listed below.
- Controls, Input
If non-text content is a control or accepts user input, then it has a name that describes its purpose. (Refer to Success Criterion 4.1.2 for additional requirements for controls and content that accepts user input.) - Time-Based Media
If non-text content is time-based media, then text alternatives at least provide descriptive identification of the non-text content. (Refer to Guideline 1.2 for additional requirements for media.) - Test
If non-text content is a test or exercise that would be invalid if presented in text, then text alternatives at least provide descriptive identification of the non-text content. - Sensory
If non-text content is primarily intended to create a specific sensory experience, then text alternatives at least provide descriptive identification of the non-text content. - CAPTCHA
If the purpose of non-text content is to confirm that content is being accessed by a person rather than a computer, then text alternatives that identify and describe the purpose of the non-text content are provided, and alternative forms of CAPTCHA using output modes for different types of sensory perception are provided to accommodate different disabilities. - Decoration, Formatting, Invisible
If non-text content is pure decoration, is used only for visual formatting, or is not presented to users, then it is implemented in a way that it can be ignored by assistive technology.
For prerecorded audio-only and prerecorded video-only media, the following are true, except when the audio or video is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such:
- Prerecorded Audio-only
An alternative for time-based media is provided that presents equivalent information for prerecorded audio-only content. - Prerecorded Video-only
Either an alternative for time-based media or an audio track is provided that presents equivalent information for prerecorded video-only content.
Captions are provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such.
Read moreAn alternative for time-based media or audio description of the prerecorded video content is provided for synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such.
Read moreCaptions are provided for all live audio content in synchronized media.
Read moreAudio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media.
Read moreSign language interpretation is provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media.
Read moreWhere pauses in foreground audio are insufficient to allow audio descriptions to convey the sense of the video, extended audio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media.
Read moreAn alternative for time-based media is provided for all prerecorded synchronized media and for all prerecorded video-only media.
Read moreAn alternative for time-based media that presents equivalent information for live audio-only content is provided.
Read moreInformation, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text.
Read moreWhen the sequence in which content is presented affects its meaning, a correct reading sequence can be programmatically determined.
Read moreInstructions provided for understanding and operating content do not rely solely on sensory characteristics of components such as shape, color, size, visual location, orientation, or sound.
Read moreContent does not restrict its view and operation to a single display orientation, such as portrait or landscape, unless a specific display orientation is essential.
Read moreThe purpose of each input field collecting information about the user can be programmatically determined when:
- The input field serves a purpose identified in the Input Purposes for User Interface Components section; and
- The content is implemented using technologies with support for identifying the expected meaning for form input data.
In content implemented using markup languages, the purpose of User Interface Components, icons, and regions can be programmatically determined.
Read moreColor is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.
Read moreIf any audio on a Web page plays automatically for more than 3 seconds, either a mechanism is available to pause or stop the audio, or a mechanism is available to control audio volume independently from the overall system volume level.
Read moreThe visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1, except for the following:
- Large Text
Large-scale text and images of large-scale text have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1; - Incidental
Text or images of text that are part of an inactive user interface component, that are pure decoration, that are not visible to anyone, or that are part of a picture that contains significant other visual content, have no contrast requirement. - Logotypes
Text that is part of a logo or brand name has no contrast requirement.
Except for captions and images of text, text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionality.
Read moreIf the technologies being used can achieve the visual presentation, text is used to convey information rather than images of text except for the following:
- Customizable
The image of text can be visually customized to the user's requirements; - Essential
A particular presentation of text is essential to the information being conveyed.
The visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 7:1, except for the following:
- Large Text
Large-scale text and images of large-scale text have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1; - Incidental
Text or images of text that are part of an inactive user interface component, that are pure decoration, that are not visible to anyone, or that are part of a picture that contains significant other visual content, have no contrast requirement. - Logotypes
Text that is part of a logo or brand name has no contrast requirement.
For prerecorded audio-only content that (1) contains primarily speech in the foreground, (2) is not an audio CAPTCHA or audio logo, and (3) is not vocalization intended to be primarily musical expression such as singing or rapping, at least one of the following is true:
- No Background
The audio does not contain background sounds. - Turn Off
The background sounds can be turned off. - 20 dB
The background sounds are at least 20 decibels lower than the foreground speech content, with the exception of occasional sounds that last for only one or two seconds.
For the visual presentation of blocks of text, a mechanism is available to achieve the following:
- Foreground and background colors can be selected by the user.
- Width is no more than 80 characters or glyphs (40 if CJK).
- Text is not justified (aligned to both the left and the right margins).
- Line spacing (leading) is at least space-and-a-half within paragraphs, and paragraph spacing is at least 1.5 times larger than the line spacing.
- Text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent in a way that does not require the user to scroll horizontally to read a line of text on a full-screen window.
Images of text are only used for pure decoration or where a particular presentation of text is essential to the information being conveyed.
Read moreContent can be presented without loss of information or functionality, and without requiring scrolling in two dimensions for:
- Vertical scrolling content at a width equivalent to 320 CSS pixels;
- Horizontal scrolling content at a height equivalent to 256 CSS pixels.
Except for parts of the content which require two-dimensional layout for usage or meaning.
Read moreThe visual presentation of the following have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 against adjacent color(s):
- User Interface Components
Visual information required to identify user interface components and states, except for inactive components or where the appearance of the component is determined by the user agent and not modified by the author;
- Graphical Objects
Parts of graphics required to understand the content, except when a particular presentation of graphics is essential to the information being conveyed.
In content implemented using markup languages that support the following text style properties, no loss of content or functionality occurs by setting all of the following and by changing no other style property:
- Line height (line spacing) to at least 1.5 times the font size;
- Spacing following paragraphs to at least 2 times the font size;
- Letter spacing (tracking) to at least 0.12 times the font size;
- Word spacing to at least 0.16 times the font size.
Exception: Human languages and scripts that do not make use of one or more of these text style properties in written text can conform using only the properties that exist for that combination of language and script.
Read moreFor each time limit that is set by the content, at least one of the following is true:
- Turn off
The user is allowed to turn off the time limit before encountering it; or - Adjust
The user is allowed to adjust the time limit before encountering it over a wide range that is at least ten times the length of the default setting; or - Extend
The user is warned before time expires and given at least 20 seconds to extend the time limit with a simple action (for example, "press the space bar"), and the user is allowed to extend the time limit at least ten times; or - Real-time Exception
The time limit is a required part of a real-time event (for example, an auction), and no alternative to the time limit is possible; or - Essential Exception
The time limit is essential and extending it would invalidate the activity; or - 20 Hour Exception
The time limit is longer than 20 hours.
For moving, blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating information, all of the following are true:
- Moving, blinking, scrolling
For any moving, blinking or scrolling information that (1) starts automatically, (2) lasts more than five seconds, and (3) is presented in parallel with other content, there is a mechanism for the user to pause, stop, or hide it unless the movement, blinking, or scrolling is part of an activity where it is essential; and - Auto-updating
For any auto-updating information that (1) starts automatically and (2) is presented in parallel with other content, there is a mechanism for the user to pause, stop, or hide it or to control the frequency of the update unless the auto-updating is part of an activity where it is essential.
Timing is not an essential part of the event or activity presented by the content, except for non-interactive synchronized media and real-time events.
Read moreInterruptions can be postponed or suppressed by the user, except interruptions involving an emergency.
Read moreWhen an authenticated session expires, the user can continue the activity without loss of data after re-authenticating.
Read moreUsers are warned of the duration of any user inactivity that could cause data loss, unless the data is preserved for more than 20 hours when the user does not take any actions.
Read moreWeb pages do not contain anything that flashes more than three times in any one second period, or the flash is below the general flash and red flash thresholds.
Read moreWeb pages do not contain anything that flashes more than three times in any one second period.
Read moreMotion animation triggered by interaction can be disabled, unless the animation is essential to the functionality or the information being conveyed.
Read moreA mechanism is available to bypass blocks of content that are repeated on multiple Web pages.
Read moreWeb pages have titles that describe topic or purpose.
Read moreIf a Web page can be navigated sequentially and the navigation sequences affect meaning or operation, focusable components receive focus in an order that preserves meaning and operability.
Read moreThe purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its programmatically determined link context, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to users in general.
Read moreMore than one way is available to locate a Web page within a set of Web pages except where the Web Page is the result of, or a step in, a process.
Read moreHeadings and labels describe topic or purpose.
Read moreAny keyboard operable user interface has a mode of operation where the keyboard focus indicator is visible.
Read moreInformation about the user's location within a set of Web pages is available.
Read moreA mechanism is available to allow the purpose of each link to be identified from link text alone, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to users in general.
Read moreSection headings are used to organize the content.
Read moreAll functionality that uses multipoint or path-based gestures for operation can be operated with a single pointer without a path-based gesture, unless a multipoint or path-based gesture is essential.
Read moreFor functionality that can be operated using a single pointer, at least one of the following is true:
- No Down-Event
The down-event of the pointer is not used to execute any part of the function; - Abort or Undo
Completion of the function is on the up-event, and a mechanism is available to abort the function before completion or to undo the function after completion; - Up Reversal
The up-event reverses any outcome of the preceding down-event; - Essential
Completing the function on the down-event is essential.
For user interface components with labels that include text or images of text, the name contains the text that is presented visually.
Read moreFunctionality that can be operated by device motion or user motion can also be operated by user interface components and responding to the motion can be disabled to prevent accidental actuation, except when:
- Supported Interface
The motion is used to operate functionality through an accessibility supported interface; - Essential
The motion is essential for the function and doing so would invalidate the activity.
The size of the target for pointer inputs is at least 44 by 44 CSS pixels except when:
- Equivalent
The target is available through an equivalent link or control on the same page that is at least 44 by 44 CSS pixels; - Inline
The target is in a sentence or block of text; - User Agent Control
The size of the target is determined by the user agent and is not modified by the author; - Essential
A particular presentation of the target is essential to the information being conveyed.
Web content does not restrict use of input modalities available on a platform except where the restriction is essential, required to ensure the security of the content, or required to respect user settings.
Read moreThe default human language of each Web page can be programmatically determined.
Read moreThe human language of each passage or phrase in the content can be programmatically determined except for proper names, technical terms, words of indeterminate language, and words or phrases that have become part of the vernacular of the immediately surrounding text.
Read moreA mechanism is available for identifying specific definitions of words or phrases used in an unusual or restricted way, including idioms and jargon.
Read moreA mechanism for identifying the expanded form or meaning of abbreviations is available.
Read moreWhen text requires reading ability more advanced than the lower secondary education level after removal of proper names and titles, supplemental content, or a version that does not require reading ability more advanced than the lower secondary education level, is available.
Read moreA mechanism is available for identifying specific pronunciation of words where meaning of the words, in context, is ambiguous without knowing the pronunciation.
Read moreWhen any user interface component receives focus, it does not initiate a change of context.
Read moreChanging the setting of any user interface component does not automatically cause a change of context unless the user has been advised of the behavior before using the component.
Read moreNavigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user.
Read moreComponents that have the same functionality within a set of Web pages are identified consistently.
Read moreChanges of context are initiated only by user request or a mechanism is available to turn off such changes.
Read moreIf an input error is automatically detected, the item that is in error is identified and the error is described to the user in text.
Read moreLabels or instructions are provided when content requires user input.
Read moreIf an input error is automatically detected and suggestions for correction are known, then the suggestions are provided to the user, unless it would jeopardize the security or purpose of the content.
Read moreFor Web pages that cause legal commitments or financial transactions for the user to occur, that modify or delete user-controllable data in data storage systems, or that submit user test responses, at least one of the following is true:
- Reversible
Submissions are reversible. - Checked
Data entered by the user is checked for input errors and the user is provided an opportunity to correct them. - Confirmed
A mechanism is available for reviewing, confirming, and correcting information before finalizing the submission.
Context-sensitive help is available.
Read moreFor Web pages that require the user to submit information, at least one of the following is true:
- Reversible
Submissions are reversible. - Checked
Data entered by the user is checked for input errors and the user is provided an opportunity to correct them. - Confirmed
A mechanism is available for reviewing, confirming, and correcting information before finalizing the submission.
In content implemented using markup languages, elements have complete start and end tags, elements are nested according to their specifications, elements do not contain duplicate attributes, and any IDs are unique, except where the specifications allow these features.
Read moreIn content implemented using markup languages, status messages can be programmatically determined through role or properties such that they can be presented to the user by assistive technologies without receiving focus.
Read more