What is WCAG 2.2?

WCAG 2.2 is the current Web Content Accessibility Guidelines standard, published by the W3C in October 2023. It defines how to make websites usable by people with disabilities across four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. Level AA of WCAG 2.2 is the conformance target courts, the DOJ, and settlement agreements reference for commercial websites, including Shopify stores.

How the levels work

Each success criterion is rated A, AA, or AAA. Level A is the minimum: without it, groups of users cannot operate the site at all. Level AA adds the criteria that map to everyday usability, like contrast, visible focus, and error identification, and it is the level referenced in legal settlements. AAA contains criteria that are impractical for content-rich retail sites and is not expected of stores.

What 2.2 added

Version 2.2 introduced nine new criteria that matter directly to e-commerce: minimum target size for touch, dragging alternatives, consistent help, focus appearance, and accessible authentication among them. Stores tested only against 2.1 can pass old audits while failing the standard new demand letters cite.

What it means for a Shopify store

Every template a shopper touches should meet AA: home, collection, product, cart, search, and account pages. Because themes, apps, and content change constantly, conformance is a property of your store on a given day, which is why monitoring replaced the annual audit as the working practice.