Website Accessibility Checklist for 2025 (Make Your Webflow Site ADA & WCAG Compliant)

Imagine trying to book an appointment online, but the buttons don’t work with your keyboard. Or trying to read important content, but the text blends into the background. For millions of people with disabilities, this is a daily struggle.

And in 2025, ignoring website accessibility isn’t just bad for users—it could mean legal trouble. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set clear standards, and non-compliance can lead to lawsuits, lost customers, and a damaged reputation. So how can you ensure a more accessible website?

This checklist will help you ensure your Webflow site meets accessibility standards, avoids legal risks, and improves the user experience for everyone.

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Why Website Accessibility Matters in 2025

Web accessibility isn’t just about staying compliant—it’s about doing the right thing, improving user experience, and avoiding legal risks. As digital experiences become more central to everyday life, websites that ignore accessibility are locking out millions of users and putting themselves at risk.

Here’s why 2025 is a critical year for website accessibility:

1. Stricter Regulations & Legal Risks

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to websites, and lawsuits against non-compliant businesses are rising.
• WCAG 2.2 is now the standard for web accessibility, setting stricter guidelines for contrast, navigation, and keyboard accessibility.
• The European Accessibility Act (EAA) 2025 is coming into effect, requiring businesses selling in the EU to comply with accessibility laws.

2. SEO & Performance Benefits

• Google favors accessible websites—better contrast, clear structure, and alt text improve rankings.
• Accessible websites load faster, have lower bounce rates, and create a better user experience for all visitors.
• A well-structured, accessible website performs better on mobile, which is a ranking factor for SEO.

On a side note, if you need a step-by-step process to ensure your website is SEO optimised, check out our Webflow SEO Checklist.

3. Expanding Your Audience & Boosting Conversions

• Over 1.3 billion people worldwide live with a significant disability. That’s 16% of the world’s population. An accessible site makes engaging with your brand easier for them.
• Accessibility features like keyboard navigation and screen reader support improve usability for everyone, including older adults and users with temporary impairments.
• Brands that prioritize accessibility build trust, improve conversions, and reduce customer drop-off.

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Website Accessibility Checklist for 2025

A. Content Accessibility (Ensuring All Content is Readable & Understandable)

Content is the foundation of accessibility. If users can’t perceive or understand your content, they can’t engage with your site.

• Add descriptive alt text for images, icons, and infographics. The description should explain the purpose of the image, not just what it looks like.
• Use a logical heading structure (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to improve navigation and assist screen readers.
• Provide closed captions for videos and transcripts for all audio content. Live streams should have real-time captions when possible.
• Avoid flashing animations or content that blinks more than three times per second to prevent triggering seizures.
• Use clear and concise language—avoid jargon and complex terms unless necessary.

Pro Tip: Use Webflow’s alt-text editor to ensure every image has a meaningful description.

B. Keyboard Navigation & Usability (Ensuring Full Functionality Without a Mouse)

Many users rely on keyboard navigation instead of a mouse. If your site isn’t keyboard-friendly, it’s inaccessible to many users, including those with motor impairments.

• Ensure all interactive elements (buttons, links, forms) are keyboard-accessible and can be reached using the Tab key.
• Add a ‘Skip to Content’ link so users can bypass navigation menus and jump directly to the main content.
• Make sure focus indicators (visible outlines or highlights) appear on buttons, links, and form fields when navigating with a keyboard.
• Ensure dropdowns, popups, and modals can be opened and closed using only a keyboard.

Try navigating your site without a mouse—if you can’t access something, it’s a problem.

C. Color & Contrast (Making Content Easy to See)

Color plays a major role in usability, but not everyone perceives color the same way. Ensuring proper contrast and alternative indicators is key to accessibility.

• Maintain a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (above 18px bold or 24px normal).
• Make sure interactive elements (buttons, links) stand out clearly—don’t rely only on color to indicate clickable items.
• Avoid using color alone to convey information. Use text labels, patterns, or icons to make differences clearer.
• Allow users to resize text up to 200% without breaking the layout.

Pro Tip: Use Webflow’s contrast checker or WebAIM’s free tools to test contrast levels.

D. Forms & Interactive Elements (Ensuring Forms Are Usable for Everyone)

Forms are one of the most common accessibility barriers. Without proper labels and feedback, users with disabilities can struggle to complete them.

• Label all form fields clearly—placeholder text is not a replacement for a visible label.
• Provide specific and helpful error messages (e.g., instead of “Invalid input,” use “Please enter a valid email in this format: name@example.com”).
• Make sure error messages are announced by screen readers and placed near the relevant field.
• Ensure dropdowns, popups, and modals are fully accessible via keyboard and screen readers.
• Implement ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes where needed to improve compatibility with assistive technologies.

E. Responsive & Mobile-Friendly Design (Ensuring Accessibility on Any Device)

Accessibility extends beyond desktops—your website should work flawlessly on mobile devices and adjust properly for different screen sizes.

• Make interactive elements large enough to tap (at least 44x44 pixels for touch targets).
• Use relative font sizes (rem/em) instead of fixed pixel values to allow dynamic resizing.
• Ensure content scales properly when zoomed in up to 200%, without requiring horizontal scrolling.
• Test your site on different devices and screen sizes to confirm that buttons, menus, and text are easy to interact with.

Pro Tip: Run your site through Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to spot potential accessibility issues.

F. Testing & Ongoing Audits (Regularly Checking for Accessibility Issues)

Accessibility isn’t a one-time fix—it requires ongoing testing and updates to stay compliant with evolving standards.

• Use Webflow’s Accessibility Panel to catch and fix basic accessibility issues.
• Test with multiple screen readers (VoiceOver for Mac, NVDA for Windows, JAWS for advanced users).
• Run automated audits with tools like Google Lighthouse, WAVE, or Axe DevTools—but don’t rely on them alone.
• Conduct real-world user testing with people who use assistive technology to get accurate feedback.
• Schedule quarterly accessibility audits to ensure continued compliance as your website evolves.

Accessibility compliance can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Want us to audit and optimize your Webflow site for accessibility? Book a Call with Amply

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Tools to Check & Improve Accessibility in Webflow

Webflow has built-in accessibility features, but manual checks and third-party tools are essential for ensuring full compliance. Below are the best tools to audit, test, and enhance accessibility on your Webflow site.

1. Webflow’s Built-in Accessibility Features

Webflow provides native accessibility tools to help designers identify and fix common issues, making it easier to create a site that meets WCAG and ADA standards. While these tools are helpful, they should be used alongside manual checks and external audits for full compliance.

• Audit Panel – Scans your site for common issues like missing alt text, empty links, and improper heading structures. Provides direct recommendations on how to fix them.
• Color Contrast Checker – Built into the Style Panel, this tool evaluates text color contrast against backgrounds to ensure readability and WCAG compliance.
• Vision Preview – Simulates how users with color blindness or blurred vision perceive your site, helping you adjust your design for better accessibility.
• Text Zoom Preview – Helps you test how well your site adapts when users resize text, ensuring content remains legible without breaking the layout.

2. Automated Accessibility Testing Tools

These tools scan your site for accessibility issues and provide recommendations:

• Google Lighthouse – Google Lighthouse is a free Chrome DevTools audit that flags contrast issues, missing alt text, and keyboard navigation problems. You can learn more about lighthouse accessibility tests here.
• WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) – Identifies errors and gives visual feedback on accessibility issues.
• Axe DevTools – A more detailed auditing tool for detecting WCAG violations.

3. Screen Reader Testing Tools

To ensure your site is fully usable for visually impaired users, test with these screen readers:

• VoiceOver (Mac & iOS) – Built-in screen reader for Apple devices.
• NVDA (Windows) – A free, widely used screen reader.
• JAWS (Windows, Paid) – Advanced screen reader used by professionals.

We also suggest you navigate your Webflow site entirely by screen reader to check if content is being read correctly.

4. Color & Contrast Checkers

Proper contrast is crucial for readability. These tools help you check and adjust color contrast:

• WebAIM Contrast Checker – Tests contrast ratios and suggests adjustments.
• Color Oracle – Simulates color blindness to show how users with vision impairments see your site.

5. Keyboard Navigation & Usability Testing

Some users can’t use a mouse, so it’s essential to test keyboard navigation:

• Tab Key Test – Press "Tab" and try to navigate through your site—can you reach all key elements?
• No-Mouse Challenge – Try using only your keyboard to complete a form or click links.
• Webflow Focus Indicators – Enable focus outlines to show which element is currently selected.

6. Real-World Accessibility Testing

Automated tools are helpful, but real users provide the best feedback.

• User Testing with Disabled Users – Work with individuals who rely on screen readers or keyboard navigation.
• Accessibility Checklists – Use WCAG guidelines to cross-check your site manually.
• Regular Audits – Accessibility isn’t a one-time task—review it every few months.

Pro Tip: Set a quarterly accessibility audit to ensure your Webflow site remains compliant as new content is added.

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Common Accessibility Mistakes to Avoid

Even with the best tools and intentions, accessibility mistakes happen. The good news? Most of them are easy to spot and fix if you know what to look for. Here are the most common accessibility issues and how to prevent them in your Webflow project.

1. Missing or Incorrect Alt Text

Alt text helps screen readers describe images to visually impaired users. Without it, key information can be lost.

How to prevent it:

• Add meaningful alt text to all images in Webflow’s Alt Text Editor—describe what the image conveys, not just what it looks like.
• For decorative images, leave the alt attribute empty (alt="") so screen readers skip them.
• Avoid generic descriptions like “image123.jpg” or “picture of a person.”

2. Inconsistent Heading Structure

Headings should follow a logical order (H1 → H2 → H3) to help screen readers and users navigate easily.

How to prevent it:

• Use H1 only for the main page title, followed by H2 for sections and H3-H6 for sub-sections in a structured hierarchy.
• Don’t skip heading levels (e.g., jumping from H1 to H3).
• Use Webflow’s Style Panel to adjust text appearance instead of using headings just for size.

3. Low Contrast Text

Poor contrast makes text difficult to read, especially for users with low vision or color blindness.

How to prevent it:

• Use a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text (18px bold or 24px normal).
• Webflow’s Contrast Checker in the Style Panel helps ensure proper contrast.
• Avoid placing light gray text on white backgrounds—use high-contrast colors instead.

4. Unusable Keyboard Navigation

If users can’t navigate your site with a keyboard, it’s inaccessible to those who rely on assistive technology.

How to prevent it:

• Ensure all buttons, links, and forms can be accessed with the Tab key and activated with Enter.
• Include a visible focus indicator so users can see which element is currently selected.
• Use Webflow’s built-in focus styles or custom CSS to make focus states more noticeable.
• Test by navigating your entire site without a mouse—if you get stuck, there’s a problem.

5. Forms Without Clear Labels & Error Messages

Forms without labels or proper error messages confuse users and make it difficult for screen readers to interpret input fields.

How to prevent it:

• Add visible labels above each input field—don’t rely on placeholder text.
• Ensure error messages explain what’s wrong and how to fix it (e.g., "Enter a valid email address in the format name@example.com").
• Use ARIA labels in Webflow’s settings to improve screen reader compatibility.

6. Relying Only on Color to Convey Meaning

Users with color blindness may not see warnings, links, or required fields if color is the only indicator.

How to prevent it:

• Use icons, text labels, or patterns along with color (e.g., an error message should include both a red highlight and explanatory text).
• Underline links instead of just changing the color.
• Webflow allows custom validation messages for forms—use them to ensure clarity.

7. Auto-Playing Media Without Controls

Videos or animations that autoplay without pause controls can be distracting and overwhelming for users.

How to prevent it:

• Provide play, pause, and mute controls for any auto-playing media.
• Disable autoplay by default in Webflow’s video settings.
• Ensure users can stop animations within 5 seconds to meet WCAG guidelines.

Make Accessibility a Habit, Not an Afterthought

Avoiding these mistakes will make your Webflow site more inclusive and legally compliant. Accessibility isn’t just a one-time fix—it should be part of your design and development process from the start. Our ADA compliance in Web Design guide goes more in depth on how you can check if your site is compliant with ADA standards.

You can also check out the government’s guidance and web accessibility article.

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Final Thoughts & Next Steps

A more accessible website doesn’t just help a few users—it makes your site better for everyone. Faster navigation, clearer content, and intuitive interactions aren’t just accessibility features—they’re hallmarks of a great website.

Think about it: The most successful companies don’t wait until they’re legally required to improve accessibility. They do it because a frictionless experience attracts more users, improves conversions, and builds trust.

So, instead of seeing accessibility as something you “have to do,” think of it as something that gives you an edge. Sites that are easier to use rank higher, retain visitors longer, and perform better across all devices.

What You Can Do Right Now

• Run a quick audit—fix the obvious issues like missing alt text and poor contrast.
• Test your site like a user—try navigating with only a keyboard or a screen reader.
• Make small improvements consistently—don’t wait for a major redesign to fix accessibility.

Want a clear roadmap for making your Webflow site fully accessible? We can help you get there. Book a Call with us