Free tool
ADA website checklist for online stores
37 checks for a Shopify store, grouped by the part of the store a shopper uses. Each one names the WCAG rule behind it and where to fix it in the admin. Tick them off as you go.
Reviewed by Misha Gavura, founder of Inclusely. Last reviewed . Written by the Inclusely team at EVDEV, Toronto. Not legal advice.
What does the ADA ask of a website?
Title III of the ADA says businesses open to the public must not shut out people with disabilities, and the Justice Department says that includes what they offer on the web. It sets no technical rule for private websites. Its 2022 guidance points to WCAG as helpful guidance, and courts and settlements usually measure stores against WCAG 2.1 AA.
The checklist, by store area
Start with the path to checkout: a product page, the cart drawer and your header. Items marked test by hand need a person, because software cannot judge them.
0 of 37 done
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Images and banners
Missing alt text is one of the barriers the Justice Department names in its web guidance.
0 of 4 done
Describe what each photo shows that matters to a buyer, such as colour, fit or what is in the box. Each photo in a gallery should say something different.
Where in Shopify: Products > open a product > click a photo > Add alt text
Backgrounds, dividers and icons that repeat nearby text should have empty alt text, so screen readers skip them.
Where in Shopify: Online Store > Themes > Edit theme > the section > image > Edit
A chart saved as a picture cannot be read row by row. Put it on the page as a table.
Where in Shopify: Products > the product > Description (insert a table), or a shared page
WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text content (A)WCAG 1.3.1 Info and relationships (A)
Menus and navigation
Many shoppers use a keyboard, a switch or a screen reader instead of a mouse. Mouse-only navigation is another barrier the guidance names.
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WCAG 2.4.1 Bypass blocks (A)Test by hand
Product pages
The product page is where a shopper decides. Size, colour and quantity controls must work for everyone.
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A screen reader should say the option name, the value and whether it is selected, such as Size, Medium, selected.
Where in Shopify: Products > the product > Variants (option names). Picker code is in the theme.
WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or instructions (A)WCAG 4.1.2 Name, role, value (A)WCAG 2.1.1 Keyboard (A)Test by hand
Show the colour name, and mark sale prices with words such as Sale or Was, not only red text.
Where in Shopify: Products > Variants (colour names). Theme settings for swatches and badges.
Anything that moves on its own for more than 5 seconds needs a pause button, or should not autoplay.
Where in Shopify: Online Store > Themes > Edit theme > slideshow section > Auto-rotate
Image zoom, tooltips and quick-view panels that appear on hover should stay while you move to them and close with the Esc key.
Where in Shopify: Theme settings for product media, or the theme code
WCAG 1.4.13 Content on hover or focus (AA)Test by hand
Cart and checkout
Shopify owns checkout and publishes how it tests it. The cart page and cart drawer are part of your theme.
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When the drawer opens, the keyboard should move into it. When it closes, focus should return to the button that opened it.
Where in Shopify: Theme code (cart drawer)
WCAG 2.4.3 Focus order (A)WCAG 2.1.2 No keyboard trap (A)Test by hand
When a shopper adds an item or changes a quantity, a screen reader should hear the change, such as Added to cart.
Where in Shopify: Theme code (cart scripts)
WCAG 4.1.3 Status messages (AA)Test by hand
You cannot change checkout code, but you choose its colours. Check button and text contrast in your branding.
Where in Shopify: Settings > Checkout > Edit, next to your configuration
WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (minimum) (AA)WCAG 1.4.11 Non-text contrast (AA)
Forms, pop-ups and accounts
Inaccessible online forms are on the Justice Department's list. On a store that means newsletter, contact, search and account forms.
0 of 5 done
Placeholder text that disappears when you type is not a label. Newsletter and search fields are the usual problem.
Where in Shopify: Online Store > Themes > Edit theme (field labels), or the form app's settings
WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or instructions (A)WCAG 1.3.1 Info and relationships (A)
Say Enter an email address like [email protected], not only a red border.
Where in Shopify: Theme code or the form app
WCAG 3.3.1 Error identification (A)WCAG 3.3.3 Error suggestion (AA)Test by hand
Fields should use autocomplete so browsers can fill them in. This helps shoppers with memory or motor disabilities.
Where in Shopify: Theme code (contact and account forms)
Discount and newsletter pop-ups should take focus when they open, close with Esc and a labelled close button, and not trap the keyboard.
Where in Shopify: The pop-up app's settings, or Online Store > Themes > Edit theme
WCAG 2.1.1 Keyboard (A)WCAG 2.1.2 No keyboard trap (A)WCAG 2.4.3 Focus order (A)Test by hand
Customer login should not depend on solving a puzzle or remembering a code without a way to paste or autofill it.
Where in Shopify: Settings > Customer accounts. Check any CAPTCHA app too.
WCAG 3.3.8 Accessible authentication (minimum) (AA)Test by hand
Colour, text and layout
Poor colour contrast is the first barrier on the Justice Department's list, and the most common one on the web.
0 of 6 done
Check body text, prices, buttons and text on banners. Grey text on white and white text on photos fail most often.
Where in Shopify: Online Store > Themes > Edit theme > Theme settings > Colors
A pale grey field border on white is hard to see. So are thin outline buttons.
Where in Shopify: Online Store > Themes > Edit theme > Theme settings > Colors
Zoom your browser to 200%, then 400%. Nothing should be cut off and you should not need to scroll sideways to read.
Where in Shopify: Test in your browser. Fixes are in the theme code (CSS).
WCAG 1.4.4 Resize text (AA)WCAG 1.4.10 Reflow (AA)Test by hand
Buttons and links should be at least 24 by 24 pixels, or have space around them. Check swatches, quantity buttons and close icons.
Where in Shopify: Theme code (CSS)
WCAG 2.5.8 Target size (minimum) (AA)Test by hand
Screen reader users jump from heading to heading. Each page should have one main heading and section headings that say what follows.
Where in Shopify: Online Store > Themes > Edit theme (heading text and size settings)
WCAG 1.3.1 Info and relationships (A)WCAG 2.4.6 Headings and labels (AA)
Screen readers use it to pick the right voice. Shopify themes usually set it from your store language.
Where in Shopify: Settings > Languages
Video and audio
No captions on videos is on the Justice Department's list of common barriers.
0 of 2 done
Use real captions, not automatic ones you have not checked. This includes product videos and video in banners.
Where in Shopify: Your video host (YouTube, Vimeo), or a caption file for videos in Shopify
If a video shows how a product works without saying it, add narration or a text description next to it.
Where in Shopify: The product description, next to the video
Collections, search and filters
Filters are where many themes fail newer WCAG 2.2 rules.
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A price range slider must also let shoppers type a number or tap a button. Dragging is hard for many people.
Where in Shopify: Theme filter settings, or the filter app
WCAG 2.5.7 Dragging movements (AA)Test by hand
When results change, a screen reader should hear how many products are shown.
Where in Shopify: Theme code (collection filters), or the search app
WCAG 4.1.3 Status messages (AA)Test by hand
Apps on your storefront
Every app that adds something to your storefront adds code you may not control. Test each one.
0 of 2 done
Reviews, chat, loyalty, upsell and pop-up apps. Ask the vendor to fix what they own, in writing.
Where in Shopify: Online Store > Themes > Edit theme > App embeds
WCAG 2.1.1 Keyboard (A)WCAG 4.1.2 Name, role, value (A)Test by hand
A toolbar that sits on top of the store does not change the theme. In 2025, 24.9% of ADA website suits named sites that already had a widget (EcomBack).
Where in Shopify: Online Store > Themes > Edit theme > App embeds
Good practice, not a WCAG rule
Help, statement and records
The Justice Department's guidance suggests giving the public a way to report accessibility problems.
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A contact link, email or chat in the same spot, such as the footer, on every page.
Where in Shopify: Content > Menus > Footer menu
Say what standard you work toward, what you have done, what is still being fixed and how to report a problem.
Where in Shopify: Online Store > Pages > Add page, then link it in the footer
Good practice, not a WCAG rule
Save scan results, what you fixed and when. If you receive a demand letter, your lawyer will ask for it.
Good practice, not a WCAG rule
What the ADA asks of a website
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act covers businesses open to the public. The Justice Department's position is that its rules apply to everything those businesses offer, including what they offer on the web. Its March 2022 guidance says businesses have flexibility in how they comply, and names WCAG and the Section 508 standards as helpful technical guidance.
The same guidance lists the barriers it sees most: poor colour contrast, colour used alone to give information, missing alt text, videos without captions, inaccessible forms and mouse-only navigation. Every one of them is in the checklist above. For videos, see how to caption product videos on Shopify.
For state and local governments there is now a technical rule: WCAG 2.1 AA, with deadlines moved to April 26, 2027 and April 26, 2028 by an April 2026 interim rule. It does not apply to private stores. The full picture, with lawsuit numbers, is in our ADA website compliance guide. Not sure the ADA covers your store? Read ADA Title III and websites.
What to test by hand
Automated tools are a good start, but they miss a lot. Deque found that automated tests caught about 57% of issues by volume in its audits, which leaves the rest for a person. These four tests take about 20 minutes. For what each kind of test can and cannot find, read our guide to automated vs manual accessibility testing. For the screen reader test, our screen reader testing guide has a short script for a product page, the cart and checkout.
Put the mouse away
Use only Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space and the arrow keys. Find a product, pick a size, add it to the cart and reach checkout. Note every place you get stuck or cannot see where you are.Listen to one product page
Turn on VoiceOver (Cmd+F5 on a Mac) or install NVDA (free, Windows). Listen to a product page from the top. Do you hear the product name, price, options and the add to cart button?Zoom to 200% and 400%
Press Cmd or Ctrl and the plus key. Text should grow, nothing should overlap and you should not need to scroll sideways to read a line.Try it on a phone
Use your store on a phone with large text turned on in the phone settings. Tap every button you would use to buy.
Publish a statement and a way to report problems
The Justice Department's guidance suggests giving the public a way to report accessibility problems. The usual way is an accessibility statement page linked from your footer. Say what standard you work toward, what you have done, what you are still fixing and how a shopper can reach you. Then answer those messages quickly, and help the shopper finish the order another way.
Our free accessibility statement generator writes one in English and French. Do not claim the store is compliant or certified in it. Say what is true.
Keep a dated record
Save what you tested, what you found, what you fixed and when. Screenshots, scan reports and theme change notes all count. If you receive a demand letter, a lawyer will ask what you knew and what you did about it, and a dated record answers that. It also shows you what to retest after a theme update or a new app.
Retest after every theme update, every new app and every big sale campaign. Those are the moments new barriers appear. If you want a professional to check your work, read what an accessibility audit covers and costs.
ADA checklist questions
Do I need an ADA compliant website?
If you sell to the public in the US, you should assume the ADA covers your website. Title III has no size cut-off and no technical web rule for businesses, so courts fill the gap and most use WCAG 2.1 AA as the yardstick. Making the store usable for disabled shoppers is the practical goal. This is not legal advice.
What is the most common ADA website violation?
Low contrast text. WebAIM's 2026 scan of one million home pages found it on 83.9% of them, followed by missing alt text on 53.1% and missing form labels on 51%. The Justice Department's guidance lists the same kinds of barriers: poor colour contrast, missing alt text, no video captions, inaccessible forms and mouse-only navigation.
How do you do web accessibility testing?
Use both an automated checker and a person. A free scanner such as our accessibility checker finds problems a machine can see, such as missing labels and low contrast. Then test by hand: use the store with only a keyboard, listen to a page with a screen reader and zoom to 200%. In a 2021 study of its own audits, Deque found automated tests caught about 57% of issues by volume, so the rest need a person.
Can you give examples of ADA compliant websites?
We do not name stores as ADA compliant, because no outside check can confirm that and the ADA has no certificate. What you can look for is good practice: a skip to content link, a visible focus outline, real text on banners, labelled form fields and a published accessibility statement with a contact.
Does finishing this checklist make my store ADA compliant?
No checklist can promise that. It helps you find and fix the barriers shoppers hit most and keep track of what you have done. Whether a store meets the law is a legal question. If you have received a demand letter, speak with a lawyer.
Which WCAG version should I use?
Work toward WCAG 2.2 AA. It includes almost everything in 2.1 AA, which is what most US settlements name, and it is the version newer standards are moving to. The checklist links every item to the W3C's explanation of its success criterion.
What to do next
Sources
- U.S. Department of Justice, Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA, March 18, 2022
- W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, W3C Recommendation, December 12, 2024 edition
- W3C WAI, Understanding WCAG 2.2, checked October 17, 2026
- WebAIM, The WebAIM Million (2026 report), February 2026 crawl
- Deque, Automated testing study identifies 57 percent of digital accessibility issues, 2021
- EcomBack, 2025 annual ADA website accessibility lawsuit report, 2026
This page explains the law in general terms. It is not legal advice. For advice about your business, speak with a lawyer.
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