WCAG 2.2 Complete Guide: What You Need to Know

Introduction to WCAG 2.2

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 are the current version of the W3C's accessibility guidelines. They build on WCAG 2.1 and add 9 new success criteria, mostly for users with cognitive or learning disabilities, users with low vision, and users on mobile devices.

The 9 New Success Criteria in WCAG 2.2

2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (AA): Ensure the keyboard focus indicator is not entirely hidden by author-created content.
2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) (AAA): Ensure the keyboard focus indicator is not hidden at all.
2.4.13 Focus Appearance (AAA): Provide a highly visible focus indicator (minimum area and contrast).
2.5.7 Dragging Movements (AA): Provide an alternative to dragging movements, unless dragging is essential.
2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) (AA): Ensure touch targets are at least 24x24 CSS pixels, or provide sufficient spacing.
3.2.6 Consistent Help (A): Keep help mechanisms in the same relative order across multiple pages.
3.3.7 Redundant Entry (A): Don't ask users to re-enter information they've already provided in the same process.
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (AA): Don't force users to solve puzzles, memorize passwords, or perform calculations to log in, unless an alternative is provided.
3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) (AAA): Stricter version of 3.3.8, removing some exceptions.

Why WCAG 2.2 Matters

Meeting WCAG 2.2 makes your website usable by more people and helps you stay ahead of legal requirements such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the ADA.

How to Test for WCAG 2.2

Testing for WCAG 2.2 requires a combination of automated tools and manual testing. Automated scanners like AccessiSight can catch issues related to focus appearance, target sizes, and redundant entry. However, manual testing by accessibility experts and users with disabilities is still essential for criteria like Accessible Authentication.

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What is the difference between WCAG 2.1 and WCAG 2.2?

WCAG 2.2 includes all criteria from WCAG 2.1 and adds 9 new success criteria focused on cognitive disabilities, low vision, and mobile device usability. 4.1.1 Parsing was also removed as it is obsolete.

Is WCAG 2.2 a legal requirement?

Laws vary by country, and WCAG 2.1 AA is currently the standard in most places. The European Accessibility Act (EAA), in force since June 28, 2025, uses EN 301 549 (aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA) as its technical standard. Updated regulations and a growing number of organizations are moving towards WCAG 2.2 as the new benchmark.