WCAG 2.1 for WP Engine Sites
WCAG 2.1 became a W3C Recommendation in June 2018. It added criteria for mobile, low vision and cognitive accessibility to WCAG 2.0, and it is the standard named in the US Department of Justice rule for state and local government websites, in EN 301 549 V3.2.1 and in most accessibility settlements.
This checker runs the free scan with the WCAG 2.1 AA preset, so the results match the standard your contract, policy or regulator is most likely to name for a WP Engine site.
For a site on WP Engine, WCAG 2.1 compliance depends on the theme, builder or code you run, not the hosting. Scan the live pages and fix issues in that software.
| Published | June 5, 2018 |
|---|---|
| Success criteria at Level A and AA | 50 |
| Added to WCAG 2.0 at Level A and AA | 12 |
| Referenced by | ADA Title II rule, EN 301 549 V3.2.1 |
| Automated rules in this scan | 62 |
Who Should Run the WP Engine WCAG 2.1 Checker
- WP Engine site owners whose contracts or policies name WCAG 2.1 AA.
- State and local government bodies, under the ADA Title II rule.
- Businesses responding to an ADA demand letter, which usually cites WCAG 2.1 AA.
- Public sector bodies in the EU, under the Web Accessibility Directive.
WCAG 2.1 Criteria That Often Fail on WP Engine
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1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose
Form fields that collect personal data, such as name, email and address, need the right autocomplete attribute.
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1.4.10 Reflow
Content must reflow at 320 CSS pixels wide, the same as 400% zoom, without scrolling in two directions.
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1.4.11 Non-text Contrast
Buttons, form borders, icons and focus indicators need a contrast ratio of at least 3:1.
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1.4.12 Text Spacing
Text must stay readable when users increase line, paragraph, letter and word spacing.
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1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus
Tooltips and menus that appear on hover or focus must be dismissible, hoverable and stay visible.
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4.1.3 Status Messages
Messages such as “added to cart” or form errors must be announced to screen readers without moving focus.
Where WP Engine Sites Usually Fail WCAG 2.1
These problems come up again and again on WP Engine sites, and each one fails WCAG 2.1. The WP Engine accessibility checker explains how to fix them in WP Engine.
- Custom theme templates. Agency-built themes can drop landmarks, skip links and heading structure, or hard-code styles that fail contrast.
- Block editor and builder content. Cover blocks, galleries and builder sections add images without alt text and headings chosen for size.
- Forms and plugin output. Form, booking and search plugins are a frequent source of unlabeled fields and silent error messages.
- Caching hiding fixes. Page and CDN caching can serve an older version of a page, so a fix appears not to have worked until the cache is cleared.
- Headless front ends. WordPress used as a content source for a JavaScript front end moves the accessibility risk into that front end’s components and routing.
Worried about ADA claims as well? The WP Engine ADA compliance checker covers the WP Engine risks behind most complaints.
What to Test by Hand on WP Engine
Automated testing finds many, but not all, WCAG 2.1 failures. Check these yourself after the scan:
- Zoom to 400% and check nothing is cut off or needs scrolling in two directions (1.4.10).
- Apply increased text spacing with a bookmarklet and check text is still readable (1.4.12).
- Open hover menus and tooltips and check you can dismiss them with Escape (1.4.13).
- Rescan after each fix. Continuous monitoring rescans up to 500 URLs per domain daily and keeps a dated record in the Compliance Vault.
Related Guides
WP Engine WCAG 2.1 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions
Does my WP Engine site need to meet WCAG 2.1?
WCAG 2.1 AA is the standard most often cited in ADA claims and settlements, required for state and local governments under ADA Title II and used by EN 301 549 V3.2.1. For most WP Engine sites it is the practical minimum.
What is the difference between WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 for WP Engine?
WCAG 2.2 adds six Level A and AA criteria, such as target size, and removes 4.1.1 Parsing. Meeting 2.2 AA also meets 2.1 AA, so use the WCAG 2.2 checker if you want to go further.
Can the scan check every WCAG 2.1 criterion?
No automated tool can. The scan checks the criteria that can be tested automatically and lists those that need manual review, such as reflow and text spacing.
Sources
- W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (opens in a new tab)
- W3C WAI: What is new in WCAG 2.1 (opens in a new tab)
- ADA.gov: Fact sheet on the ADA Title II web and mobile rule (opens in a new tab)
This page explains general accessibility patterns for WP Engine sites and is not legal advice. AccessBell is not affiliated with WP Engine. WP Engine and its logo are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify the platform. See our disclaimer.
