This collection provides suggested checks for testing the accessibility of web pages and applications. These checks are designed to allow quick, high-level accessibility status reports for web content and applications. With practice, testers should be able to complete a typical cycle of checks in about 15 minutes.

The articles on this page offer guidance for completing basic manual testing tasks. Not all tasks will apply in all circumstances, and some circumstances may require testing tasks not described here. 

Escalate for Remediation

Following testing, content may be escalated for remediation. The intent is to document accessibility failures and to place content in a secondary tier for corrective remediation by the vendor or developer. In some cases, escalation may require content to be removed until it is remediated or replaced.

Tier 1 Manual Accessibility Testing Tasks

Tier 1 Test Environment

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Recommended browsers, tools, and other things to consider when preparing your manual testing environment.

Automated Testing

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Automated testing is an easy, repeatable way to check programmatic accessibility issues.

Keyboard Testing

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Keyboard testing shows how accessible a product is when a mouse can't be used.

Magnification

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
When magnified to 200%, content should remain readable without horizontal scrolling or elements obscured behind other elements.

Headings

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Document headings provide an outline structure that makes a document's navigation and traversal easier and more understandable for everyone.

ALT Text for Images

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
All images, data visualizations, and other graphical elements should include a descriptive text alternative or “ALT Text” OR be marked as decorative.

Hyperlinks

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Hyperlinks that are well-labeled and easy to locate and use make navigation easier and more effective for all users.

Data Tables

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Well-organized data tables make it easier for all users to view, navigate, and understand tabular data.

Form Controls and Labels

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Form controls need to have descriptive, machine-readable labels to let users know what kind of information to provide.

Color Contrast

Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Sufficient color contrast makes content more visually perceivable for people with color blindness or other visual limitations.