What's new in WCAG 2.2?

Published 2022-09-06 accessibility
by Hidde de Vries (last updated on 5 October 2023)

WCAG 2.2 is the next version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published 5 October 2023. It includes all of WCAG 2.1, minus 4.1.1 Parsing, plus nine new criteria. Of those, six are in Level A + AA, the most commonly tested combination of levels.

Let's look at how you could meet the new Level A + AA criteria (note: this is just my summary and interpretation, for the official specification and wording, refer to WCAG 2.2):

  1. Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (2.4.11, AA): don't obscure the element that has focus (eg with sticky headers/footers or modals)
  2. Dragging Movements (2.5.7, AA): when some action in your UI requires dragging, ensure the same action can also be performed without dragging (with a “single pointer”). Example: a map that can be dragged to move around, but also offers buttons to move up, down, left and right.
  3. Target Size (Minimum) (2.5.8, AA): ensure that things you can click (or otherwise “point”, eg using pen, touch etc), are more than the specified minimum size, unless there's enough distance, it's inline or the small size is “essential”
  4. Consistent Help (3.2.6, A): if your page/app contains help options, they are in the same order across pages (unless user zooms/turns device; these kinds of user-initiated changes are excepted)
  5. Redundant Entry (3.3.7, A): avoid that users have to enter the same information twice, instead auto-populate or allow previous input to be selected. Some exceptions apply.
  6. Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (3.3.8, AA): if your auth requires a “cognitive function test” (user has to remember, manipulate or transcribe), offer a way without such a test, or allow for assistance (eg support password managers, don't block copy/paste)

One SC was removed: Parsing (4.1.1). It existed because assistive technologies had to parse HTML, but they no longer do so directly.

Notably, the new SC Focus Appearance (2.4.13), that was initially put in Level AA, is going to be Level AAA. It has requirements for what focus styles look like, regarding contrast, size of the contrasting area and contrast of adjacent colors (this one may be the most tricky and “at risk”, but there's a lot of examples in Understanding Focus Appearance)

An overview of the new criteria, including examples of how they are useful to real people can be found on What's new in WCAG 2.2.

List of updates
  • 5 October 2023: WCAG 2.2 comes out today, updated intro to match that.
  • 18 September 2023: The post said “Accessible Authentication” was Level A, but it is AA. Updated this (thanks Jules!).
  • 18 July 2023: Removed comment on Focus Visible level change (to A) as it was changed back (to AA); renamed and renumbered Accessible Authentication; renumbered Focus Not Obscured; added removal of Parsing.
Thanks to the Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (AGWG) at the W3C or all their work on WCAG and this latest version. Thanks James Edwards for feedback on my Dragging Movements example.

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Hidde wrote on 6 September 2022:
For a more permanent and linkable version of this thread, I've also dropped the contents onto my blog hidde.blog/new-in-wcag22/
Cynthia Teeters wrote on 6 September 2022:
You were reading my mind!! Thanks.
Hidde wrote on 6 September 2022:
haha was afraid someone would press that 'unfold' button to save the thread 😀
Carlos Espada wrote on 7 September 2022:
@hdv summarizes the changes that we can find in the WCAG 2.2 (2 in Level A, 5 in Level AA and 2 in Level AAA) hidde.blog/new-in-wcag22/
Basix wrote on 14 September 2022:
WCAG 2.2 나온 거 알고 트위터 하시나요? hidde.blog/new-in-wcag22/
Stef Walter wrote on 23 September 2022:
#Accessibility Here's the Too Long Didn't Read of all the new things coming to WCAG 2.2 hidde.blog/new-in-wcag22/…
Bruce Lawson wrote on 23 September 2022:
What's new in WCAG 2.2? hidde.blog/new-in-wcag22/ by Mr @hdv
Stephanie Lummis wrote on 26 September 2022:
This is an excellent summary of new specifications in WCAG 2.2. #A11y hidde.blog/new-in-wcag22/…
Jaap Stronks wrote on 8 November 2022:
@hdv so, like trackbacks and pingbacks that WordPress stubbornly tried to make happen for many years?
Hidde wrote on 8 November 2022:
Thanks to @sia I now know Webmentions can be used from Mastodon to your blog via https://brid.gy 🎉 Bridgy
Bernard Nijenhuis wrote on 8 November 2022:
@hdv @sia I've added it as well, but nobody will like my toot of my last post...even though I mentioned them in the post, Hidde!
Eric Eggert wrote on 18 July 2023:
@hdv When does it come ou… oh, sorry! 😂
Marcus Herrmann wrote on 18 July 2023:
@yatil @hdv 😂 I fully expect waking up some weird morning and skimming Mastodon while having a coffee only to find excited-anxious “Now it is out" toots
James Edwards wrote on 18 July 2023:
@marcus I could do with at least a couple more weeks personally, haven't finished writing my webinar slides. I'll be stressed if it's tomorrow lol.@yatil @hdv
Eric Eggert wrote on 18 July 2023:
@siblingpastry @marcus @hdv It’s so bizarre that this is a guessing game. They could just say “if we have consensus by September 1, we will publish the update on September 30.”(Also, technically WCAG 2.1 sticks around and with the changes I have refused learning anything more about 2.2 until it is finished. It’ll delay me using it for at least until early next year. 😮‍💨)
James Edwards wrote on 18 July 2023:
@yatil This is why I'm not doing the webinar until it is finished, cos it could change again.I've had to update my TPGi article half a dozen times at least.@marcus @hdv
Marcus Herrmann wrote on 18 July 2023:
@yatil @siblingpastry @hdv Having watched the 2.1 process very superficially (or rather not at all) in 2018, it somehow shocks me that you with W3C WAI insight also judge it as “bizzare” and not “yeah, this is how the sausage gets made”
James Edwards wrote on 18 July 2023:
@marcus @yatil @hdv These observations are not mutually exclusive 😆