IONOS WCAG 2.2 Checker

WCAG 2.2 for IONOS Sites

WCAG 2.2 became a W3C Recommendation in October 2023. It keeps every WCAG 2.1 requirement except 4.1.1 Parsing and adds six success criteria at Level A and AA, mostly about people with low vision, motor disabilities and cognitive disabilities. A IONOS site that meets WCAG 2.2 AA also meets 2.1 AA and 2.0 AA.

This checker runs the same free scan as the IONOS accessibility checker with the WCAG 2.2 AA preset, so the results include the 2.2 rules that automated testing can check.

The host does not decide WCAG 2.2 compliance. For a site hosted on IONOS, the theme, builder or code you run there does, so scan the live pages and fix issues in that software.

Who Should Run the IONOS WCAG 2.2 Checker

• IONOS site owners who want the most current, future-proof target.
• Teams redesigning a IONOS site, where adopting the latest version costs little extra.
• Organizations selling into the EU, where EN 301 549 V4.1.1 now uses WCAG 2.2.
• Anyone preparing for new rules, which tend to adopt the latest WCAG version.

The New WCAG 2.2 Criteria to Check on IONOS

• 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)

  Sticky headers, cookie banners and chat widgets must not completely hide the element that has keyboard focus.

• 2.5.7 Dragging Movements

  Anything that works by dragging, such as sliders, carousels and sortable lists, needs a single-pointer alternative.

• 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)

  Buttons and links need a target of at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels, or enough space around them. Icon buttons and pagination links often fail.

• 3.2.6 Consistent Help

  Help such as a contact link or chat must appear in the same place on every page that has it.

• 3.3.7 Redundant Entry

  Do not ask for the same information twice in one process, such as shipping and billing addresses, without offering to fill it in.

• 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum)

  Sign-in must not depend on a cognitive test, such as remembering a password without paste support or solving a puzzle.

Where IONOS Sites Usually Fail WCAG 2.2

These problems come up again and again on IONOS sites, and each one fails WCAG 2.2. The IONOS accessibility checker explains how to fix them in IONOS.

• Template color contrast. Builder templates and themes often use light gray text or pale buttons that fall below the 4.5:1 contrast WCAG requires for normal text.
• Images without alt text. Photos added through a builder or media library are easy to publish without alternative text, so screen reader users miss what they show.
• Contact and booking forms. Form widgets and plugins sometimes rely on placeholder text instead of visible labels, and do not announce errors to screen readers.
• Cookie consent banners. Consent banners, common on EU sites, can trap keyboard focus or hide the rest of the page from screen readers until dismissed.
• Headings used for styling. Text styled to look like a heading, or headings chosen for their size, leaves the page without a structure screen reader users can navigate.

Worried about ADA claims as well? The IONOS ADA compliance checker covers the IONOS risks behind most complaints.

What to Test by Hand on IONOS

Automated testing finds many, but not all, WCAG 2.2 failures. Check these yourself after the scan:

1. Tab through each page and check the focused element is never fully covered by sticky content (2.4.11).
2. Try every drag interaction with a single click or tap instead (2.5.7).
3. Sign in with a password manager and check paste works (3.3.8).
4. Rescan after each fix. Continuous monitoring rescans up to 500 URLs per domain daily and keeps a dated record in the Compliance Vault.

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Related Guides

• WCAG 2.2 AA CheckerThe WCAG 2.2 standard in full, for any website.
• WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) explained simply: the 4.5:1 and 3:1 ratios, what counts as large text, the exceptions, fixes and how to test your colors.
• WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions explained simply: visible labels, format hints, grouped fields and required markers, with code examples and a test routine.
• Automated vs Manual Accessibility Testing: Where Each FitsWhat automated accessibility testing catches, what needs a human, and how to combine both into a repeatable process for finding and fixing WCAG issues.
• WCAG Success Criteria LibraryLook up any criterion the scan flags, in plain language.

IONOS WCAG 2.2 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions