Accessibility guide

WCAG 2.2 Checker: Test Your Site Against the Latest Standard

WCAG 2.2 is the current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. AccessibilityScore.in tests a public page against the WCAG 2.2 criteria that can be checked automatically and flags the rest for review. This guide lists what is new in 2.2 and how to test each new criterion.

Last reviewed 16 Oct 2026 by the HalfAccessible accessibility team

Short Answer

WCAG 2.2 is the W3C accessibility standard published on 5 October 2023. It keeps every WCAG 2.1 success criterion except 4.1.1 Parsing and adds nine new ones, covering focus visibility, dragging, target size, consistent help, redundant entry and accessible authentication. Only target size can be fully checked by a tool; the others need manual testing.

Key facts

Published: 5 October 2023 as a W3C Recommendation
New success criteria: 9 (2 at Level A, 4 at Level AA, 3 at Level AAA)
Removed: 4.1.1 Parsing, now obsolete
Total success criteria: 86; 55 of them at Level A and AA
Backward compatible: Yes: meeting 2.2 AA also meets 2.1 AA and 2.0 AA
Smallest pointer target at AA: 24 by 24 CSS pixels, unless spacing or an exception applies (2.5.8)

What changed in WCAG 2.2?

WCAG 2.2 adds nine success criteria aimed at people with low vision, motor impairments and cognitive or learning disabilities, and at anyone using a keyboard, touch screen or password manager. Everything in 2.1 stays the same except 4.1.1 Parsing, which W3C made obsolete because browsers and assistive technology now handle markup errors consistently.

The new criteria at Level A and AA, the levels most laws and contracts require, are:

2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum), AA: a focused element is not entirely hidden by sticky headers, cookie banners or other content.
2.5.7 Dragging Movements, AA: anything done by dragging can also be done with a single pointer, such as clicks.
2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum), AA: pointer targets are at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels or have enough spacing.
3.2.6 Consistent Help, A: help links, contact details or chat appear in the same relative place across pages.
3.3.7 Redundant Entry, A: information already entered in a process is filled in or selectable, not asked for again.
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum), AA: sign-in does not depend on a cognitive test such as remembering or transcribing a code, unless an alternative or help like paste and password managers is allowed.

Which WCAG 2.2 criteria can a checker test automatically?

Most of the 2.2 additions are about behaviour across a task or across pages, which a single-page scan cannot observe. Target size is the exception: it can be measured from element boxes. AccessibilityScore.in measures every pointer target against the 24 by 24 pixel minimum and the spacing exception, and sends inline links inside text to Needs review because the inline exception depends on context.

The scanner also checks every carried-over WCAG 2.1 criterion that axe-core supports, such as contrast, names, labels and ARIA, plus a visible-focus rule for 2.4.7.

How do you test the new WCAG 2.2 criteria manually?

Each manual check takes minutes once you know what to look for:

Focus Not Obscured: Tab through the page with sticky headers, footers and banners open; the focused element must never be fully covered.
Dragging Movements: find sliders, sortable lists, maps and carousels; complete each action with clicks or taps only.
Consistent Help: compare three or more pages; help links and contact options must appear in the same order and region.
Redundant Entry: go through multi-step forms; data you already gave, such as a shipping address, must be offered again rather than retyped.
Accessible Authentication: sign in with a password manager and with paste; one-time codes must allow paste or autofill, and CAPTCHAs need a non-cognitive alternative.

Should you target WCAG 2.2 or WCAG 2.1?

Target WCAG 2.2 Level AA. Some laws still name WCAG 2.1 AA, for example the US Department of Justice's ADA Title II rule, but because 2.2 is a superset of 2.1 (minus the obsolete Parsing criterion), meeting 2.2 AA satisfies those requirements as well. Building to the newer version now avoids a second round of remediation when contracts and standards catch up.

The 9 new WCAG 2.2 success criteria and how to test them

Success criterion	Level	What it requires	How AccessibilityScore.in checks it
2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)	AA	Focused element is not fully hidden	Manual review
2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced)	AAA	No part of the focused element is hidden	Manual review
2.4.13 Focus Appearance	AAA	Focus indicator of a minimum size and contrast	Manual review; the 2.4.7 visible-focus rule catches missing indicators
2.5.7 Dragging Movements	AA	Single-pointer alternative to dragging	Manual review
2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)	AA	Targets at least 24 by 24 CSS px or well spaced	Automated rule; inline links go to Needs review
3.2.6 Consistent Help	A	Help in the same place across pages	Manual review across pages
3.3.7 Redundant Entry	A	Do not ask for the same data twice	Manual review of multi-step flows
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum)	AA	No cognitive test to sign in without an alternative	Manual review of sign-in
3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)	AAA	No object or content recognition test either	Manual review of sign-in

Common Questions

When was WCAG 2.2 released?

W3C published WCAG 2.2 as a Recommendation on 5 October 2023.

How many new success criteria are in WCAG 2.2?

Nine: 2.4.11, 2.4.12, 2.4.13, 2.5.7, 2.5.8, 3.2.6, 3.3.7, 3.3.8 and 3.3.9. Six of them are at Level A or AA.

Was anything removed in WCAG 2.2?

Yes. 4.1.1 Parsing is obsolete and removed, because modern browsers and assistive technologies no longer depend on strict markup parsing.

Is WCAG 2.2 backward compatible with WCAG 2.1?

Yes. Content that meets WCAG 2.2 at a given level also meets WCAG 2.1 and 2.0 at that level, because 2.2 only adds criteria apart from the obsolete 4.1.1.

What is the minimum target size in WCAG 2.2?

24 by 24 CSS pixels at Level AA (2.5.8). Smaller targets pass if a 24-pixel circle centred on each one overlaps neither another target nor another small target's circle, or if an exception such as inline text links applies.

Can an automated tool check WCAG 2.2 conformance?

No. A tool can check target size and the many 2.1 criteria that are automatable, but focus obscuring, dragging, consistent help, redundant entry and authentication need a person to test real interactions.

Is WCAG 2.2 a legal requirement?

It depends on the jurisdiction and contract. Many laws reference a WCAG version at Level AA; some still name 2.1. Meeting 2.2 AA covers both. This is not legal advice.

Sources

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