If Accessibility Checker has flagged problems on your website or you discovered accessibility deficiencies while performing manual accessibility checks that are coming from a specific plugin (or plugins), there are a few options for fixing these problems.
Determine if it’s a Settings Issue
In some cases, the accessibility problem is caused by something that you can control within the plugin settings – like transition speed on a slider, color contrast on a button, or links opening in a new tab. If the problem has a setting associated with it, then there is a good chance you can fix it from within your WordPress dashboard. If the problem is only controlled with code, however, and you’re not a developer, you’ll need to find someone to help you make the fix.
Reach Out to the Plugin Developer
Free Plugins
If you’re using a free plugin from the WordPress.org directory, you can submit a support request in the support forum for that on WordPress.org. The support forum can be found by:
- Go to the WordPress plugin directory.
- Search for the plugin by name in the search box.
- When the plugin appears, click or follow the link on the plugin image or plugin name to go to the page with more information on the plugin.
- On the plugin page, open the support tab.
- You will have to create or log in with a WordPress.org account to post in the support forum.
- Once you have logged into the support forum, you can create a new topic at the bottom of the page. Make sure to give the developer(s) as much information as possible, including a link to your website, to make it easier for them to fix the error.
Note: Your results may vary with convincing free plugin developers to correct accessibility problems. Depending on their knowledge of accessibility, the age of the plugin, and how much support they’re offering, they may or may not respond.
Premium Plugins
As long as you have an active license for a premium plugin, you should be able to fill out a support form and receive support from the plugin developer. You will need to find the correct support form (usually on the plugin’s website) and reach out to the developer, to inform them of the accessibility issue and see if they are willing to make a fix.
If you do not have an active support license for the plugin, either because you are not on a recurring payment plan or because someone else (like the person who built your website) purchased the plugin for you, you will likely need to purchase the plugin again in order to receive support.
If Available, Use Accessibility Checker’s Automatic Fix
For some issues, Accessibility Checker has an automatic fix available. You can find a full list of available automated fixes listed on our main documentation page. You will always be able to tell if an automatic fix is available because turning on the fix will be listed as an option in multiple places in the interface, including:
- Individual post and page Accessibility Checker report, both in the “…” quick action dropdown and individual issue modal as an accordion below the issue description
- Frontend view will display a “fix issue” option below the description, along with other common options like “show code” and “full documentation”
- Open Issues detail view will display a “fix” option under the list of possible actions for individual issues where applicable (Pro)
Hire an Accessibility Firm
If you contact a plugin developer and find that they are non-responsive, unwilling to make accessibility fixes, or unable to make accessibility fixes, you can hire an accessibility firm or third-party developer to help you.
An accessibility firm or knowledgeable WordPress developer can help resolve accessibility problems caused a plugin. In many cases, accessibility firms or developers are able to use advanced techniques to patch the accessibility issues at the code level in a way that’s more permanent. (You cannot edit the files of a plugin directly or the changes will be lost the next time that plugin is updated. A skilled developer can work around this limitation.)
If you need custom development and accessibility support, Equalize Digital is happy to help. You can request a custom quote for one-time fixes or sign up for a remediation plan.
Find an Alternative Plugin
Some plugins may have so many accessibility problem that it is not worth hiring a developer to create a patch because they would essentially have to recode the entire plugin. If this is the case, or if you do not have the budget to hire someone to code a custom solution, you can search for an alternative plugin that performs the same or similar functions to add to your website instead of the one that has the problems.
Ideally, you’ll want to set up a copy of your website on a staging server or local environment that is not visible to the public. In that environment, you can install alternate plugins to test manually and with Accessibility Checker in order to determine if they resolve the issue. If you find one that does not have the accessibility problem, then you can configure it on your live site.
Adjust Your Plans for Your Website
It is important to note that sometimes there will not be a solution. Unfortunately, not every developer considers accessibility when building plugins, and some web design practices are truly not accessible no matter how they are coded.
If you are unable to find an accessible plugin, you will either need to have something custom-coded to achieve your goals in an accessible manner or will have to adjust your plans for your website, removing the plugin that caused the problem and not replacing it with another one.