WCAG 2.2 in plain language

What WCAG is

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). They explain how to make websites, apps and digital documents more accessible to people with disabilities.

WCAG is made up of testable statements called success criteria. Each one describes an outcome, such as giving images a text alternative, rather than requiring a particular technology.

Three versions are in use. WCAG 2.0 was published in 2008, 2.1 in 2018 and 2.2 in October 2023, with an update in December 2024. WCAG 2.2 is also an ISO standard, ISO/IEC 40500:2025. The W3C recommends using the latest version, although 2.2 doesn't cancel the earlier ones. WCAG 3 is still an early draft.

Levels A, AA and AAA

Every success criterion has a level.

Level A covers the most basic barriers, the ones that can stop some people from using content at all.
Level AA builds on A. It's the level most laws and policies ask for.
Level AAA is the highest. The W3C doesn't recommend requiring AAA for entire sites, because some content can't meet every AAA criterion.

To conform at AA, you meet every A and AA criterion. Conformance applies to whole pages and complete processes, so one inaccessible step in a sign-up or checkout means the whole process doesn't conform.

The four principles

WCAG is organized under four principles, often shortened to POUR.

Perceivable. People can take in the information, whatever their senses. Think text alternatives for images, captions for video and enough colour contrast.
Operable. People can use and move around the interface. Everything works with a keyboard, people have enough time, and nothing flashes in a way that could trigger seizures.
Understandable. Content and controls are clear and predictable, and people get help avoiding and fixing mistakes.
Robust. Content works reliably with browsers and assistive technologies, such as screen readers, now and as they change.

What's new in WCAG 2.2

WCAG 2.2 adds nine success criteria. Six of them are at Level A or AA, which is where most organizations focus.

Success criteria added in WCAG 2.2
Success criterion	Level	In plain language
2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)	AA	When something has keyboard focus, it isn't completely hidden by other content, such as a sticky header or cookie banner.
2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced)	AAA	The focused item isn't hidden at all.
2.4.13 Focus Appearance	AAA	The focus indicator is large enough and has enough contrast to notice.
2.5.7 Dragging Movements	AA	Anything you can do by dragging can also be done with a single tap or click, unless dragging is essential.
2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)	AA	Buttons and links are at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels, or have enough space around them, with some exceptions.
3.2.6 Consistent Help	A	If help, such as contact details or a chat, appears on several pages, it's in the same relative place each time.
3.3.7 Redundant Entry	A	People aren't asked to re-enter information they already gave in the same process. It's filled in for them or available to select.
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum)	AA	Logging in doesn't depend on remembering, transcribing or solving puzzles, unless there's an alternative or help, such as support for password managers and paste.
3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)	AAA	A stricter version with fewer exceptions, for example no object or image recognition tests.

One criterion was removed. 4.1.1 Parsing is marked obsolete and removed in WCAG 2.2, because browsers and assistive technologies now handle the markup errors it was written to catch. For WCAG 2.0 and 2.1, the W3C has added a note that 4.1.1 should be considered always satisfied for content using HTML or XML.

WCAG in Ontario and Canada

As of October 2026, Ontario's Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation still names WCAG 2.0 Level AA. The requirement applies to designated public sector organizations and to businesses and non-profits with 50 or more employees. It covers public websites and web content posted after January 1, 2012, with two exceptions: live captions (1.2.4) and pre-recorded audio descriptions (1.2.5).

So where does 2.2 fit? The W3C says content that conforms to WCAG 2.2 also conforms to 2.0 and 2.1. Aiming for 2.2 AA is a sensible way to meet Ontario's requirement while serving more people, especially people with low vision, limited dexterity or cognitive disabilities. Just remember that the legal benchmark in Ontario is still 2.0 AA, so report against that wherever a law or contract asks you to.

Federally, Accessibility Standards Canada has adopted CAN/ASC-EN 301 549:2024, a voluntary standard for information and communication technology that points to WCAG 2.1 Level AA for web content. Federal requirements are evolving, so federally regulated organizations should check what currently applies to them.

Meeting a technical standard also doesn't replace your duty under the Ontario Human Rights Code to accommodate a person who still meets a barrier. Our AODA essentials article covers the wider rules.

First steps

You don't need to be an expert to start. These checks find many common problems.

Use your site with only a keyboard. Can you reach everything, and can you always see where you are?
Check that sticky headers, chat buttons and cookie banners don't cover the item in focus
Zoom to 200 per cent and check that nothing is cut off or overlaps
Check colour contrast: at Level AA, normal-size text needs a ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background
Give images meaningful text alternatives, and mark decorative ones so screen readers skip them
Caption your videos and provide transcripts for audio
Give every form field a visible label, and explain errors in text
Make buttons and links easy to hit, at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels or well spaced
Let people paste passwords and use password managers, and avoid puzzle-style tests
Keep help and contact links in the same place on every page

Automated checkers help, but the W3C is clear that no tool alone can tell you whether a site meets the standard. Combine tools with manual testing, and include people with disabilities. Fix shared templates and components first, since one fix there carries across many pages.

Want a second look? A PRISM accessibility audit can include your website, forms and documents, reviewed against WCAG 2.2 AA with fixes explained in plain language. Our training helps content and design teams build accessibility in from the start.

What WCAG is

Levels A, AA and AAA

The four principles

What's new in WCAG 2.2

WCAG in Ontario and Canada

First steps

Sources

Make your digital services work for everyone.