Accessibility audit
Shopify accessibility audit against WCAG 2.2 AA
Our Shopify accessibility audit tests your store with screen readers, keyboards and zoom, then ties every barrier to a WCAG 2.2 criterion and the theme file, app or content that causes it. You get a repair plan, not a widget.
Why accessibility belongs on your roadmap
A Shopify accessibility audit answers one practical question: can a person with a visual, motor, hearing or cognitive disability find a product, understand it and pay for it in your store? People who use a screen reader, move through a page with the Tab key, or zoom text to twice its size meet problems a sighted mouse user never notices. Icon buttons with no accessible name, a menu that swallows keyboard focus, a carousel that slides away mid-sentence, an error message nobody hears.
There is also a commercial and legal side. In the United States, online stores receive demand letters that cite the ADA, and in the European Union the European Accessibility Act applies to many consumer ecommerce services from June 2025. Which rules apply to you depends on where you sell, your size and your sector, so we do not give legal advice. We give you an honest technical measurement against WCAG 2.2 Level AA, the benchmark most legal, procurement and marketplace conversations refer to.
The audit is built around how Shopify works. We know which parts of a page come from your theme, which are injected by apps and which Shopify controls in checkout, so every finding says who can fix it and where.
- Hands-on testing with assistive technology, not a scan alone
- Each issue mapped to a WCAG 2.2 success criterion and severity
- Fix location named: Liquid file, CSS, app setting or admin content
- A plain-language summary you can share with leadership or counsel
Accessible stores are usually easier for every shopper to use, which keeps paying off long after the report is filed.
What a Shopify accessibility audit covers
Automated checks give breadth. Manual testing on real devices finds the barriers that actually stop a purchase.
Automated scanning
We run axe-based tools and WAVE across a sample of every template type. Scans flag missing labels, empty links and contrast failures quickly, and we confirm each result by hand to strip out false positives.
Screen reader journeys
We shop the store with VoiceOver on macOS and iOS, NVDA on Windows and TalkBack on Android. Product names, prices, variant changes and cart updates must be announced clearly and in a sensible order.
Keyboard-only use
Menus, filters, drawers, modals, quantity steppers and forms must all work without a mouse. We check tab order, visible focus, skip links, and that focus returns to a sensible place when a drawer closes.
Zoom, reflow and text spacing
We zoom to 200 percent and narrow the viewport to 320 CSS pixels to check that content reflows without sideways scrolling. Increased letter and line spacing must not clip button labels or badges.
Color and contrast
Body text, sale prices, placeholder text, input borders and focus rings are measured against the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds. Where a brand color fails, we suggest the closest passing shade rather than a new palette.
Images, video and motion
We review product and lifestyle alt text, decorative images, video captions and autoplaying hero banners. Anything that moves for more than five seconds needs a way to pause it.
Headings and landmarks
Screen reader users often jump by heading or region. We check that each template has one H1, a logical heading outline, and header, nav, main and footer landmarks that match what is on screen.
Forms and error handling
Newsletter popups, contact forms, account login, gift card and discount fields need visible labels, clear instructions and errors that are announced and say how to fix the problem.
Dynamic updates
Cart drawers, quick view, predictive search and AJAX filtering change the page without a reload. We check ARIA roles, states and live regions so assistive technology hears that something changed.
Touch targets and gestures
Swatches, close icons and quantity buttons are checked against the WCAG 2.2 minimum target size, and swipe-only galleries or drag sliders are checked for a simple tap alternative.
Third-party apps
Review widgets, loyalty launchers, chat bubbles, upsell popups and cookie banners often bring their own markup. We test each one in place and note whether the fix sits with you or the app vendor.
Checkout and accounts
Shopify maintains the core checkout, so we focus on what you control there: branding choices, checkout UI extensions, custom fields and the customer account pages your theme or apps add.
Templates and journeys in scope
Shopify stores reuse templates, so testing a well-chosen sample of each type covers far more pages than it sounds.
Header and navigation
- Skip to content link
- Mega menu and mobile drawer
- Search trigger and predictive results
- Country and language selectors
- Announcement bar and sticky header
Home and landing pages
- Hero banners and slideshows
- Video sections and autoplay
- Promo tiles and image links
- Email capture popups
- Heading order across sections
Collection and search
- Filter and sort controls
- Price range sliders
- Product cards and quick add
- Pagination or infinite scroll
- No-results messaging
Product page
- Media gallery and zoom
- Variant pickers and swatches
- Price, sale and stock messages
- Add to cart feedback
- Tabs, accordions and size charts
- Reviews widget
Cart and checkout
- Cart drawer focus handling
- Quantity and remove controls
- Discount and gift card fields
- Shipping estimates
- Checkout branding and extensions
Accounts and content
- Login and password reset
- Order history pages
- Contact and returns forms
- Blog articles and policies
- Store locator or booking tools
A practical guide to Shopify WCAG compliance
What the standard asks for, who is responsible for each part of a store, and what an audit can and cannot do.
What WCAG 2.2 Level AA means for a store
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are organized around four principles: content must be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. Each principle breaks down into testable success criteria at three levels, A, AA and AAA. Level AA includes everything in Level A plus the AA criteria, and it is the level most policies and contracts ask for. AAA is rarely required for a whole site because some of its criteria cannot be met by every kind of content.
On a storefront these principles turn into concrete checks. Perceivable means product images have useful text alternatives and prices are readable at sufficient contrast. Operable means every control works from a keyboard and nothing traps focus. Understandable means form errors say what went wrong. Robust means custom components expose the right name, role and state to assistive technology, which is where many theme-built widgets fall short.
Who owns which part of the store
A Shopify store is assembled from several layers, and an accessibility finding is only useful if it names the right owner. The theme, whether a Theme Store purchase or a custom build, controls most of the markup: sections, snippets, CSS and JavaScript. Apps add their own code through app blocks, embeds or injected scripts. Merchandisers control content such as alt text, headings inside rich text and the color of promo banners. Shopify controls the core checkout and maintains it for every merchant.
That is why our findings are grouped by owner. Theme issues go to your developer or to us. App issues come with a note on whether a setting fixes them, whether the vendor needs to be contacted, or whether a different app would be simpler. Content issues come with guidance your team can follow every time they publish.
- Theme: structure, components, focus handling, contrast in CSS
- Apps: widgets, popups, embeds and their settings
- Content: alt text, link wording, headings in rich text
- Shopify: core checkout, with your extensions and branding on top
Automated tools versus manual testing
Automated checkers are fast and repeatable, and we use them on every audit. They are good at spotting things a machine can measure: a missing form label, a contrast ratio below threshold, an image with no alt attribute. They cannot judge whether alt text actually describes the product, whether focus moves to a sensible place after a drawer opens, or whether a screen reader user understands that the selected size is out of stock.
Those judgment calls are where shoppers get stuck, so most of our time goes into manual testing. A tester completes real tasks with assistive technology: find a gift under a budget, choose a color and size, add it, change the quantity, apply a discount and reach checkout. Every point where the task becomes confusing or impossible becomes a finding, with a recording or notes so a developer can reproduce it.
Legal context, without legal advice
Merchants often come to us after a demand letter, a retailer’s vendor questionnaire or a question from their EU distributor. We understand why the legal side matters, but obligations differ by country, business size and sector, and they change over time. We are developers and designers, not lawyers, so we do not tell you whether a law applies or whether you are protected from a claim.
What we provide is evidence. The report states what was tested, how, against which criteria and with what result. That record is useful to counsel, helps you write an honest accessibility statement and gives your team a dated baseline to improve from. If you need a legal opinion, we are happy to brief your lawyer on the technical findings.
WCAG 2.2 criteria themes often miss
WCAG 2.2 added new success criteria at Levels A and AA. These are the ones we most often see fail on storefronts.
2.4.11 (AA)
Focus not obscured
A sticky header, cookie banner or chat bubble can cover the link a keyboard user just tabbed to. The focused element must not be fully hidden by content the author placed on top of it.
2.5.7 (AA)
Dragging movements
Price range sliders and drag-to-compare images need a single-pointer alternative, such as number inputs or plus and minus buttons, for people who cannot hold and drag.
2.5.8 (AA)
Target size minimum
Color swatches, close icons and quantity buttons need to be at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels, or have enough spacing around them that a slightly missed tap does not hit a neighbor.
3.2.6 (A)
Consistent help
If you offer chat, a phone number or a help link, it should sit in the same relative place on every page so a shopper who needs it once can find it again.
3.3.7 (A)
Redundant entry
Custom forms such as returns requests or quote builders should not make people type the same details twice in one process. Pre-fill the field or offer a way to select it.
3.3.8 (AA)
Accessible authentication
Login should not rely on remembering or transcribing something as the only route. Allow paste and password managers, and avoid puzzle-style checks without an alternative.
Common barriers and how we fix them
Most storefront failures repeat from store to store. Here is what we usually find and the kind of fix we recommend.
Icon buttons with no name
Cart, search, wishlist and close icons often render as a bare SVG inside a button. Adding visually hidden text or an aria-label gives screen reader users a name like Open cart instead of Button.
Focus lost in drawers
When a cart drawer opens, focus often stays behind on the page. We move focus into the drawer, keep it there while open, close it on Escape and send focus back to the trigger.
Removed focus outlines
A blanket outline: none rule in theme CSS hides where the keyboard is. We replace it with a clear, on-brand focus style that meets contrast, often using focus-visible so mouse users are not affected.
Swatches without labels
Color circles are frequently just background images. We expose each swatch as a labelled radio input so the color name, selected state and availability are announced.
Silent cart updates
Adding to cart with AJAX changes a counter nobody hears. A polite live region announcing the item and new cart total fixes it without changing the design.
Autoplaying slideshows
Hero sliders that rotate on a timer move content away from slow readers and screen magnifier users. We add a visible pause control or recommend a static hero with a single clear message.
Low-contrast sale prices
Light grey compare-at prices and pale red sale badges often fail. We adjust the shade, weight or background so the price information stays readable without losing the visual hierarchy.
Unlabeled filter controls
Custom filter checkboxes built from divs cannot be reached or toggled by keyboard. Rebuilding them as native inputs inside a fieldset with a legend restores both access and meaning.
Generic link text
Rows of Shop now and Learn more links tell a screen reader user nothing when read out of context. We rewrite the visible text or add hidden context so each link names its destination.
Popups that trap shoppers
Email capture modals that appear on load, cannot be closed by keyboard and do not return focus are a frequent blocker. We fix the modal behavior or adjust its trigger and close controls.
Overlay, scan or full audit
Three common responses to an accessibility concern, compared honestly.
| Overlay widget | Automated scan only | Manual Shopify audit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Adds a toolbar or script on top of the store | Runs software checks on a set of URLs | Tests real journeys with assistive technology plus scans |
| Changes theme code | No, underlying markup stays the same | No, it only reports | Yes, fixes are specified at code level |
| Finds keyboard traps | No | Rarely | Yes, by navigating every key journey |
| Judges alt text quality | No | Detects missing alt only | Yes, reviews whether it describes the product |
| Covers apps in place | Partly, and can conflict with them | Flags some markup issues | Yes, each app tested on the live template |
| Output | A widget subscription | A long list of rule failures | Ranked findings by owner, with fix guidance |
| Ongoing cost driver | Recurring license | Tool subscription | One-off audit, then optional retests |
| Useful for | Not recommended as a compliance strategy | Regression checks between audits | Establishing a baseline and fixing root causes |
We use automated scans inside every audit. They work well as one input, not as the whole picture.
Testing tools and standards
The assistive technology, checkers and references behind each audit.
Screen readers
- VoiceOver on macOS with Safari
- VoiceOver on iPhone
- NVDA on Windows with Chrome or Firefox
- TalkBack on Android with Chrome
Automated checkers
- axe DevTools browser extension
- WAVE evaluation tool
- Lighthouse accessibility checks
- Accessibility Insights for Web
Visual and contrast checks
- Colour Contrast Analyser
- Browser zoom to 200 and 400 percent
- Text spacing bookmarklet
- Forced colors and high contrast modes
Standards and patterns
- WCAG 2.2 Level A and AA
- WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices patterns
- Shopify theme and app block structure
- Your brand guidelines, where they exist
Your audit deliverables
Written for three readers at once: developers who fix, designers who adjust, and leaders who decide.
Executive summary
Two pages on where the store stands against WCAG 2.2 AA, the most serious risks to shoppers and the recommended order of work, without jargon.
Findings register
Every issue in one spreadsheet with template, component, criterion, severity, owner and status columns, ready to import into Jira, Asana or Trello.
Evidence for each issue
Screenshots, screen reader output notes and short recordings where useful, so a developer can reproduce the barrier without guessing.
Code-level guidance
Corrected markup, ARIA patterns and CSS examples written for your theme’s sections and snippets, not generic copy-paste snippets.
App impact notes
For each problem app: what fails, whether a setting resolves it, what to ask the vendor, and whether a better-behaved alternative exists.
Content guidelines
A short guide for merchandisers on alt text, link wording, headings in rich text and banner contrast, so new content does not reintroduce issues.
Walkthrough session
A call with your team to demonstrate the serious issues live, answer questions and agree who fixes what and when.
Statement support
Notes you can use to draft or update an accessibility statement that honestly reflects what was tested and what is still in progress.
How the accessibility audit runs
A defined scope, a mix of testing methods and a handover your team can act on.
- 01Scope
Choose templates and tasks
We list your template types, installed apps and the journeys that matter most, then agree a representative sample. Stores with several themes or markets get a sample per variation.
- 02Baseline
Run automated checks
Scans across the sample give a quick picture of markup and contrast issues. We verify each one manually and drop anything that is not a real barrier.
- 03Manual testing
Shop like your customers
Testers complete the agreed tasks with screen readers, keyboard only and zoom on desktop and mobile. This stage surfaces the barriers that block purchases.
- 04Map and rank
Tie findings to code
Each issue is linked to a WCAG 2.2 criterion, rated by impact on shoppers and traced to a theme file, app or content owner. Duplicates across templates are merged.
- 05Handover
Report and walkthrough
You receive the summary, register and guidance, followed by a walkthrough call. If you want us to carry out remediation, we scope it as a separate piece of work.
- 06Retest
Confirm fixes hold
After repairs, we retest the affected templates and journeys. The register is updated so you have a dated record of what was resolved.
Ways to work with us
Pick the scope that matches where your store is today.
Baseline
Audit only
The full audit and handover. Your own developers carry out the fixes using the register and code guidance.
End to end
Audit and remediation
We audit, then our Shopify developers fix theme issues on a preview theme, configure apps and retest before anything goes live.
Targeted
Remediation sprint
Already have an audit from another provider? We review it, confirm the findings on your current theme and work through the fixes.
Before launch
New build review
For a redesign or new theme in progress, we test components on staging so issues are fixed before customers ever see them.
After changes
Retest
A focused retest after your team ships fixes, or after a theme update, to confirm nothing regressed.
Ongoing
Accessibility in support
Lighter periodic checks on new sections, apps and campaigns as part of a support plan, so accessibility does not drift between audits.
Further reading
Guides that connect accessibility with conversion and store quality.
Testimonials
What brands say about working with us
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Alisha
Ritzy
We are so happy with Starhead. They did an exceptional job at helping us create a new website with our new branding. We especially appreciate the good communication, the attention to details, the understanding and proactiveness. I am so happy we chose Starhead to help us, and 10/10 recommend them. We will continue to work with them in the future. Thank you so much for your work!
Solveige Itervag
Movere
ABSOLUTELY BEYOND AMAAZZING I HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND Prashant and Gaurav were super professional and kind. Their #1 goal is deliver everything you as the customer envision. Super detailed, very responsive, cares about the client Starhead Digital made every thing come true that i dream about having for my website I Definitely will be using Starhead Digital in future projects
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Ocean State of Mind
It was a pleasure to work with Starhead Digital. They delivered the website extremely quick while also exceeding expectations of what we wanted. They ensured we were satisfied and were very communicative throughout the whole process. I will definitely be working with them again for any other projects, or even a website refresh. If you are looking for amazing quality work at a very reasonable price, I completely recommend!
Chris
Supa Supps
Very professional and focussed on exactly meeting my expectations. Any specifications I gave them they fully fulfilled or had an answer. I got quick replies to my questions at any time of the day and their communication in English is probably better than mine ';).
Fully satisfied!Felix Brosi
The Perfect Biquini(Bossa)
Working with Starheadtech was an absolute pleasure! They built and optimized our Shopify store beautifully — seamlessly integrating Google, TikTok, and Klaviyo. Their clear communication, problem-solving mindset, and clean custom coding truly stood out. Fast, professional, and genuinely results-driven. We're thrilled with our new site and can't recommend him enough!
Jessica
Love by Lilly
The team at Starhead digital was amazing to work with. They captured all the details I needed for an operational website. They were quick, understood the task, and even went above and beyond of the requirements. Thanks Prashant & team, would love to work with them again and recommend them to others.
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Ina Malibu
Starhead Digital successfully helped us to migrate from Magento to Shopify. It was a great experience to work with them. The whole process was very much organize and smooth. The team was highly responsive, and internal stakeholders were particularly impressed with the Starhead Digital.
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Salus Saunas
Related services
Accessibility work often runs alongside design, theme and technical reviews.
Shopify custom theme development
Rebuild with accessible sections and components from day one, so the same fixes never need repeating.
Learn more →Shopify UI/UX audit
Pair this review with a wider look at navigation, layout and product discovery for all shoppers.
Learn more →Shopify technical audit
Check theme code quality and app scripts at the same time, since many barriers start there.
Learn more →Shopify support and maintenance
Keep new content, apps and theme updates accessible with regular checks after remediation.
Learn more →Free store roadmap
Not sure which audit to start with? Request a free roadmap for your store.
Learn more →
Common FAQs
Frequently asked questions
What is a Shopify accessibility audit?
A Shopify accessibility audit is a structured review of your store against an accessibility standard, usually WCAG 2.2 Level AA, to find barriers that stop disabled shoppers from browsing and buying. It combines automated scans with manual testing using screen readers, keyboard navigation and zoom, and ends with a prioritized list of fixes.
Is Shopify accessible out of the box?
Shopify maintains its core checkout and its own free themes with accessibility in mind, but your storefront is more than that. Theme customizations, apps, images, colors and content all affect the result, so a store built on an accessible base theme can still contain serious barriers.
Does my Shopify store need to meet WCAG 2.2 AA?
WCAG Level AA is the benchmark most often referenced in accessibility policies, settlements and procurement requirements, and 2.2 is the current version, so it is the sensible target. Whether a specific law applies to your business depends on where you sell and other factors, so confirm your obligations with legal counsel.
Will an audit make my store ADA compliant?
No audit by itself makes a store compliant or protects against claims. It shows where the store falls short and how to fix it; progress comes from carrying out the fixes and keeping the store accessible as it changes. Legal questions should go to a qualified lawyer.
Do accessibility overlay apps fix WCAG issues?
Overlays add a script on top of the page but do not repair the underlying theme markup, so structural barriers usually remain for screen reader and keyboard users. Many disabled users and accessibility specialists advise against relying on them. We recommend fixing issues in the theme and apps directly.
Does the European Accessibility Act affect Shopify stores?
The European Accessibility Act covers many ecommerce services offered to consumers in the EU, and its requirements have applied since June 2025, with some exemptions such as for microenterprises. Whether it applies to your store depends on your business and markets, so check with counsel. Technically, meeting WCAG 2.2 AA is a strong foundation either way.
Can you audit my checkout?
Shopify builds and maintains the core checkout, so the audit focuses on what you control there: branding choices such as colors and fonts, checkout UI extensions, custom fields and post-purchase content. We also test the cart, account pages and any app that runs before checkout.
Can you fix the issues you find?
Yes. Our Shopify developers can carry out remediation in your theme on a preview copy, adjust or replace problem apps and retest before changes go live. We scope that after the audit, so you can decide what to fix in-house and what to hand to us.
How often should a store be checked for accessibility?
Run a full audit after a redesign, theme change or major new feature, and add lighter checks whenever you install apps or launch new page layouts. Accessibility drifts as stores change, so periodic retests keep regressions from piling up between full audits.
What changed in WCAG 2.2 compared with 2.1?
WCAG 2.2 added criteria for focus not being obscured, focus appearance, dragging alternatives, minimum target size, consistent help, redundant entry and accessible authentication, and it removed the old 4.1.1 Parsing criterion. Several of these affect common storefront features such as sticky headers, price sliders and swatches.
What do you need from us to start?
Your store URL, collaborator access or a staff account with theme read access, a list of key apps, and any previous audit or legal correspondence you are happy to share. If parts of the store sit behind a login, a test customer account helps us reach them.
Get started
Make your store easier for every shopper
Send your store URL and what prompted the review. We will propose an audit scope that fits your templates, apps and timeline.