WCAG 2.2 Compliance Checker
Verify your site meets the latest WCAG 2.2 standard released in October 2023. Stay ahead of regulations with support for all new criteria including focus appearance and accessible authentication.
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What Is WCAG 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 is the newest version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published as a W3C Recommendation on October 5, 2023. It adds 9 new success criteria to the existing WCAG 2.1 standard while maintaining full backward compatibility — a site conforming to WCAG 2.2 also conforms to 2.1 and 2.0. The new criteria focus on improving the experience for users with cognitive disabilities, low vision, and motor impairments. Notably, WCAG 2.2 removed criterion 4.1.1 Parsing (which tested for valid HTML) as modern browsers and assistive technologies now handle markup errors gracefully. Regulatory bodies are beginning to reference 2.2 as the updated standard.
The 9 New Success Criteria in WCAG 2.2
WCAG 2.2 introduces these new requirements at AA and A levels:
- Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (AA): When an element receives keyboard focus, it must not be entirely hidden by author-created content like sticky headers or modals.
- Focus Appearance (AA): Focus indicators must meet minimum size and contrast requirements — at least a 2px solid outline with 3:1 contrast.
- Dragging Movements (AA): Any action that requires dragging must also have a single-pointer alternative (no drag-and-drop as the only option).
- Target Size Minimum (AA): Interactive targets must be at least 24x24 CSS pixels, with exceptions for inline links and browser-default controls.
- Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (AA): Login processes must not require cognitive function tests like remembering passwords or solving puzzles, unless alternatives exist.
- Redundant Entry (A): Information previously entered by the user must be auto-populated or selectable — no re-typing the same data.
Additional Level AAA criteria include Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced), Accessible Authentication (Enhanced), and Consistent Help.
Who Should Target WCAG 2.2?
Any organization that currently targets WCAG 2.1 AA should plan to adopt 2.2. The European Union's updated EN 301 549 v4.1.1 is expected to reference WCAG 2.2, which will make it the standard for the European Accessibility Act (enforcement active since June 2025). In the US, the Department of Justice has shown a pattern of referencing the latest WCAG version in enforcement actions and consent decrees. Organizations building new websites or redesigning existing ones should target WCAG 2.2 AA from the start — since it is backward compatible with 2.1, there is no downside. Early adoption also future-proofs your site against upcoming regulatory updates and demonstrates proactive commitment to accessibility.
Testing for WCAG 2.2 Compliance
CompliScan evaluates your pages against WCAG 2.2 criteria using the latest axe-core rule set. The scanner checks for the new requirements including target size violations, focus visibility issues, and authentication barriers. Each detected issue is mapped to the specific WCAG 2.2 criterion and tagged with its conformance level (A or AA). Our AI engine generates targeted fix suggestions — for example, recommending CSS changes to increase touch target sizes to 24px or suggesting autocomplete attributes for authentication fields. Since WCAG 2.2 is additive, your scan results clearly distinguish between existing 2.1 issues and the new 2.2-specific criteria, making it easy to track your upgrade path.
Frequently Asked Questions
What changed between WCAG 2.1 and WCAG 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 adds 9 new success criteria focused on cognitive accessibility, motor impairments, and low vision. Key additions include minimum target sizes of 24x24 CSS pixels, focus indicators that cannot be fully obscured, alternatives to dragging interactions, accessible authentication without cognitive tests, and preventing redundant data entry. It also removed criterion 4.1.1 Parsing. All existing 2.1 criteria remain unchanged, so 2.2 is fully backward compatible.
Do I need to comply with WCAG 2.2 or is 2.1 sufficient?
Currently, most laws reference WCAG 2.1 AA. However, regulations are being updated to reference 2.2. The EU is expected to adopt it through EN 301 549, and US enforcement increasingly cites the latest version. Since 2.2 is backward compatible, targeting it requires only addressing 9 additional criteria beyond 2.1. We recommend targeting 2.2 for any new development and planning an upgrade path for existing sites.
What is the minimum target size in WCAG 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 criterion 2.5.8 (Target Size Minimum) requires interactive elements to be at least 24x24 CSS pixels, or have sufficient spacing from adjacent targets. Exceptions exist for inline text links, browser-default controls, and elements where the size is essential to the information being conveyed. The AAA level criterion 2.5.5 requires 44x44 CSS pixels. Most mobile design guidelines already recommend 44-48px touch targets.
What does accessible authentication mean in WCAG 2.2?
Criterion 3.3.8 (Accessible Authentication) requires that login processes do not depend on cognitive function tests — meaning users should not be forced to memorize passwords, solve CAPTCHAs, or perform arithmetic to authenticate. Alternatives must be available, such as password managers (via proper autocomplete attributes), passkeys, email magic links, or biometric authentication. This helps users with cognitive disabilities, memory impairments, and learning disabilities.
Is WCAG 2.2 the final version?
WCAG 2.2 is the current latest version, but the W3C is actively developing WCAG 3.0 (previously called Silver). WCAG 3.0 will be a major rewrite with a new conformance model, broader scope, and different scoring system. However, WCAG 3.0 is still in early draft stages and is not expected to become a W3C Recommendation for several years. WCAG 2.2 will remain the authoritative standard for the foreseeable future.
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