Website accessibility self-check

This is a quick self-check you can run on your own website in about an hour, with no special software. Each item describes what to look for, how to test it in plain steps, and the WCAG 2.1 success criterion or section of Man. Reg. 47/2022 it relates to.

Before you start, pick three or four important pages to test: your home page, a contact or booking page, a page with a form and a typical content page.

Images and media

1. Meaningful images have descriptions - In most content management systems, open the image settings and look for an "alt text" or "alternative text" field. For each image that carries information, such as a photo of your storefront, a chart or a logo that links home, confirm the field describes what the image shows or does. Empty fields and file names like "IMG_2041.jpg" are failures. WCAG 1.1.1 (opens in a new tab)
2. Decorative images are hidden from screen readers - Purely decorative images, such as background textures or divider lines, should have an empty alt text field rather than a description. Check that you have not described decoration with words like "blue swirl", which only adds noise for screen reader users. WCAG 1.1.1 (opens in a new tab)
3. Videos have accurate captions - Play each video on your site with the sound off. Turn on captions. Confirm they are present, match what is said, and identify important sounds. Automatically generated captions that have not been corrected often fail this check. WCAG 1.2.2 (opens in a new tab)
4. Nothing plays sound on its own - Load each page with your speakers on. If audio starts automatically and lasts more than three seconds, there must be an obvious way to pause or stop it, or to turn the volume down separately from the computer's own volume. WCAG 1.4.2 (opens in a new tab)

Text and colour

1. Text stands out from its background - Use a free online contrast checker. Enter the colour of your body text and the background colour behind it. Normal text needs a ratio of at least 4.5:1. Large text, about 24 pixels or 18.66 pixels bold, needs 3:1. Pay particular attention to light grey text, text over photos and text on coloured buttons. WCAG 1.4.3 (opens in a new tab)
2. Buttons and field borders are visible - Look at the outlines of form fields, the edges of buttons and icons that carry meaning. Using the same contrast checker, compare their colour with the background. They need a ratio of at least 3:1 so people with low vision can find them. WCAG 1.4.11 (opens in a new tab)
3. Colour is not the only signal - Look for places where colour alone carries meaning, such as required fields marked only in red, or links shown only by a different colour in a paragraph. There should also be text, an icon or an underline. A quick test: print the page in black and white and see if the meaning survives. WCAG 1.4.1 (opens in a new tab)
4. Text can be enlarged to 200% - In your browser, press Ctrl and + (Command and + on a Mac) until the zoom reaches 200%. Read through the page. All text should still be visible and readable, with nothing cut off, overlapping or hidden behind other content. WCAG 1.4.4 (opens in a new tab)
5. The page fits a narrow screen - On a desktop computer, set your browser zoom to 400% with the window about 1280 pixels wide. The page should rearrange into a single column. You should only need to scroll up and down, not sideways, to read the text. WCAG 1.4.10 (opens in a new tab)

Keyboard and navigation

1. Everything works without a mouse - Put your mouse aside. Press Tab repeatedly to move forward through the page and Shift and Tab to move back. Press Enter to follow links and the space bar to press buttons. Confirm you can reach and use every link, button, menu and form field, including drop-down menus. WCAG 2.1.1 (opens in a new tab)
2. You never get stuck - While tabbing, open any pop-ups, chat windows, video players or embedded maps. Confirm you can always move out of them with Tab or the Escape key. If focus becomes trapped and you need the mouse to escape, that is a serious failure. WCAG 2.1.2 (opens in a new tab)
3. You can always see where you are - As you press Tab, watch for an outline or highlight on the selected item. If the highlight disappears on some links or buttons, or is too faint to follow, keyboard users will lose their place. WCAG 2.4.7 (opens in a new tab)
4. The order makes sense - While tabbing, notice whether focus moves through the page in a logical sequence, generally top to bottom and left to right. Focus that jumps to the footer and back, or skips the main content, fails this check. WCAG 2.4.3 (opens in a new tab)

Forms

1. Every field has a visible label - Look at each form field. There should be a label next to it that stays visible while you type. Placeholder text inside the field that disappears when you start typing is not a reliable label. WCAG 3.3.2 (opens in a new tab)
2. Labels are connected to their fields - Click on the words of each label, such as "Email address". If the cursor jumps into the matching field, the label is usually connected correctly in the code. If nothing happens, a screen reader may not announce what the field is for. WCAG 1.3.1 (opens in a new tab)
3. Errors are explained in words - Submit a form with a required field left empty and an obviously wrong email address. Confirm the page tells you, in text, which field has a problem. A red border on its own is not enough. WCAG 3.3.1 (opens in a new tab)
4. Error messages say how to fix the problem - Read the error messages from the previous test. "Invalid input" does not help. "Enter an email address in the format name@example.com" does. Where you know the correction, the message should suggest it. WCAG 3.3.3 (opens in a new tab)

Structure and content

1. Each page has a clear title - Look at the text shown on the browser tab for each page. It should describe that page, for example "Book an appointment - Your Business Name", not just your business name on every page or "Untitled". WCAG 2.4.2 (opens in a new tab)
2. Headings are real headings - In your content editor, check that section titles use the heading styles (Heading 2, Heading 3) rather than text that has simply been made bold and larger. Headings should describe the content beneath them and follow a logical outline. WCAG 1.3.1 (opens in a new tab)
3. Links say where they go - Scan your pages for links that read "click here", "read more" or "learn more". A screen reader user moving from link to link hears only that text. Each link should make sense on its own, or from the sentence it sits in, for example "Read our winter hours". WCAG 2.4.4 (opens in a new tab)

Manitoba requirements beyond the website

1. You tell the public about accessible formats - Check whether your website, and your other public materials, say that information is available in accessible formats and with communication supports on request, and explain how to ask. An accessibility page or contact page is a common place for this notice. Man. Reg. 47/2022, s. 5 (opens in a new tab)
2. You have a feedback process - Check whether there is a clear way for people to give feedback about how you provide information and communication, and that you know who receives and responds to it. The process itself should be accessible, for example by phone and email, not only through a web form. Man. Reg. 47/2022, s. 9 (opens in a new tab)
3. The right people have been trained - List the people who communicate with the public on your behalf, who maintain your web content, or who buy information and communication technology for you. Confirm each has received training on the standard, or that it is scheduled as soon as reasonably practicable. Man. Reg. 47/2022, s. 4 (opens in a new tab)
4. Large employers have their policies in writing - If your organization is a large employer under the regulation, confirm you have documented your accessibility measures and policies, and your training policy. Smaller organizations are not required to document these, but doing so is still sensible. Man. Reg. 47/2022, ss. 3(2) (opens in a new tab), 4(4) (opens in a new tab)

Last reviewed October 2026. General information, not legal advice.