A full accessibility audit takes expertise, but you can learn a great deal about your website in under an hour with free tools and a few simple tests.
1. Run an automated checker
Browser extensions and online checkers scan a page and flag issues such as missing alt text, low contrast and unlabelled form fields. They are a good start, but they catch only a portion of problems. Many issues need a human to judge.
2. Put your mouse away
Use only the keyboard: Tab to move forward, Shift+Tab to move back, Enter to activate links and buttons, arrow keys in menus. Ask yourself:
- Can I reach every link, button and form field?
- Can I always see where I am?
- Does the order make sense?
- Can I open and close menus and pop-ups, and do I ever get stuck?
3. Try a screen reader
Free screen readers are available: NVDA for Windows and VoiceOver built into Mac and iPhone. Listen to your homepage and contact form. Do images, buttons and links make sense when read aloud?
4. Zoom to 200%
Zoom the browser to 200%. Content should remain readable and usable, without text overlapping or features disappearing.
5. Check contrast
Use a contrast checker on your body text, buttons and text over images. See our guide to colour contrast.
6. Check headings
Use a browser extension that lists headings. There should be one main heading, with sections in a logical order.
7. Watch for movement
Carousels, auto-playing video and animations should be pausable or stop on their own.
When to call in experts
If you need to meet AODA or ADA expectations, a professional audit gives you a complete, prioritized list of issues and fixes, tested against WCAG 2.1 AA.
Need a hand?
TheWebsiteMakers.ca is a Toronto-based team with 19+ years of experience building websites for businesses across Canada and the US. We design accessible websites, host them on servers we manage ourselves, and look after them every month. Get a free, no-obligation quote.