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Accessibility Features and Assistive Technology Compatibility for Accessibility Checker

You can use Accessibility Checker with a keyboard, screen reader, or other tools that help you use the web. This guide shows you how to use the reports and get help.

Built-In Accessibility Features

Accessibility Checker includes:

  • HTML structure: HTML headings (<h1>–<h6>), lists (<ul> and <ol>), links (<a>), buttons (<button>), and form fields help screen readers explain the page and its controls.
  • Labels and instructions: Fields have labels or names that screen readers can read. Help text explains what to enter when needed.
  • Named icon buttons: Buttons with icons have names that screen readers can read. This includes the tool launcher and close buttons.
  • Keyboard navigation: You can use controls with a keyboard. Use arrow keys to move through report tabs and the frontend options menu.
  • Visible keyboard focus: An outline shows which control has keyboard focus.
  • Control states: Screen readers can tell which tab is selected. They can also tell if a section is open or closed.
  • Focus in dialogs: When a dialog opens, focus moves inside it. You can use its controls, then close it to return to the report.
  • Spoken updates: The frontend checker sends updates to screen readers. These cover scans, dismissed or reopened issues, and display changes.
  • Text descriptions of results: You can read issue names, counts, help text, and code. You do not have to rely on colors or highlights.

You do not need to turn on a special mode to use these features. See Known Accessibility Limitations below for more details.

How to Use the Frontend Highlighter With a Keyboard

The frontend highlighter shows issues on your website. You can use it with just a keyboard or with a screen reader.

Open the Highlighter

  1. Sign in to WordPress. Your account must have access to the frontend checker.
  2. Open the website page you want to review.
  3. Press Tab until you reach the Accessibility Checker Tools button, then press Enter or Space.
  4. Focus moves into the checker panel. Use Tab to move forward through its controls and Shift + Tab to move backward.

The launcher button is near the start of the tab order. Its place on the screen may be different from where it is in tab order.

If you cannot find the launcher button, ask your site admin for help. They can check the settings and your account access.

Review Issues

  1. Move to the Next button and press it to select an issue. Use the Previous button to return to an earlier issue.
  2. Read the selected issue’s name and details. An outline shows the part of the page with the issue.
  3. Use Tab to reach buttons for more details, code, fixes, or dismissing an issue. You can also reach links to help articles. The controls you can use depend on the issue and your account access.
  4. Press buttons that open more details with Enter or Space.
  5. Continue using the Next and Previous buttons to review additional issues.

Use your screen reader’s reading keys to read issue text. You may need forms or interaction mode to use the controls.

Use the Options Menu

  1. Move to the More options button and press Enter or Space.
  2. Use Up Arrow and Down Arrow to move through menu items.
  3. Press Enter or Space to select an item.
  4. Press Escape to close the menu and return to the More options button.

The menu includes display options and, where available, the Rescan This Page menu item. You can use the menu to move or dock the panel. You do not need to drag it.

Close the Highlighter

Press the Close button, or press Escape while interacting with the panel. Focus returns to the Accessibility Checker Tools button.

Use Reports in the WordPress Admin With a Keyboard

Use Tab and Shift + Tab to move between controls. Press buttons with Enter or Space, and links with Enter. With a screen reader, you can also jump to headings, landmarks, or form fields to find reports and settings.

Block Editor Sidebar

  1. Open the post or page you want to review.
  2. Move to the editor’s top toolbar. Use these WordPress keys to move between parts of the editor:
    • Windows: Ctrl + backtick (`) moves to the next region; Ctrl + Shift + backtick (`) moves to the previous region.
    • Mac: Control + backtick (`) moves to the next region; Control + Shift + backtick (`) moves to the previous region.
  3. Move through the toolbar to the Accessibility Checker button and press it. If it is not in the toolbar, press the editor’s Options button and select the Accessibility Checker menu item.
  4. Move into the Accessibility Checker sidebar.
  5. Press the Accessibility Analysis button to expand the results.
  6. Move to an issue group’s expand button and press it to show the issues in that group.
  7. Press an individual issue’s button to open its details.
  8. Use Tab and Shift + Tab to reach actions within the dialog. Press the Close button or press Escape to return to the report.

The sidebar also contains Accessibility Status, Readability Analysis, and other available panels. Press a panel’s heading button to expand it and reach its controls.

For more editor shortcuts, see the official WordPress Block Editor keyboard guide.

Classic Editor Meta Box

In the WordPress Classic Editor, the report is in a meta box below the content editor.

  1. Open a post or page in the Classic Editor.
  2. Move past the content editor to the Accessibility Checker meta box. With a screen reader, use headings to find it.
  3. If the meta box is collapsed, press its Show or hide panel button to expand it.
  4. Move to the report tabs:
    • Accessibility Status tab
    • Accessibility Analysis tab
    • Readability Analysis tab, where available
  5. Use Left Arrow and Right Arrow to switch tabs. Home selects the first tab; End selects the last.
  6. Press Tab to move into the selected report’s controls.
  7. In the Accessibility Analysis tab, press an issue group’s expand button to review its records and available actions.

WordPress also provides Classic Editor keyboard shortcuts for editing and formatting content.

Site-Wide Reports in Accessibility Checker Pro

  1. From the WordPress admin menu, follow the Issues Explorer link under Accessibility Checker.
  2. Move to the All, Open, or Dismissed tabs. Use Left Arrow and Right Arrow to switch views, or Home and End to select the first or last view.
  3. Use Tab to reach the search field, filter controls, grouping controls, and result buttons and links.
  4. Enter search text or select filters to narrow the results.
  5. Move to a result. Press its issue-details button to read more and find actions you can take.
  6. Use the page buttons to see more results.

To scan the site, follow the Full Site Scan link under Accessibility Checker in the WordPress admin menu and press the Run Accessibility Check button. Review the scan status and any reported scanning failures.

Your account access controls which reports and actions you can use.

WordPress Accessibility Preferences

WordPress has settings that can make the editor easier to use.

Press the editor’s Options button, then select the Preferences menu item. Your WordPress version may have these options:

  • Show button text labels: Displays text labels in editor toolbars.
  • Contain text cursor inside block: Keeps the text cursor in one block. This can help when you use a screen reader.

These are WordPress settings. See the official WordPress Preferences guide for details.

Adjust Visual Indicators

Frontend Highlight Outline

The frontend checker puts an outline around the part of the page with an issue. If the outline is hard to see, you can change its color with CSS.

Follow the steps in the How to Change the Frontend Highlight Outline Color documentation article. You may need your website developer’s help to make this change.

Show Screen Reader Only Text While Editing

The Screen Reader Only text format lets you add text that screen readers can read but visitors cannot see.

To make that text visible while editing, select the Always show screen reader text checkbox in the Accessibility Checker sidebar. This setting affects only your account. It does not change what visitors see.

See Using the Screen Reader Only Text Format in the Block Editor documentation for instructions for the post editor and Full Site Editor.

Known Accessibility Limitations

Accessibility Checker is substantially conformant with WCAG 2.2 AA, Section 508 and EN 301 549. The software still has some known issues. Read about them in the Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) below. We will add more product reports as we publish them.

Get Accessibility Assistance

Email accessibilityhelp@equalizedigital.com for help with keyboard use, screen readers, or other tools you use to access the web. You can ask about known issues and ways to work around them. You can also report issues through our usual support channels or on the Accessibility Checker GitHub repo.

You do not need a paid license or account to report an issue. You do not need to show proof of disability.

See Accessibility Assistance and Accommodations for ways to report issues and get help.