How to Make Your Shopify Store ADA Compliant (14-Day Guide)

Making your Shopify store ADA compliant is achievable in 14 days with the right approach—but only if you fix your actual source code rather than installing overlay widgets that don't achieve real compliance. This guide provides a step-by-step process based on how real Shopify brands have achieved WCAG 2.2 AA compliance, including TUSHY (30 days), Cozy Earth (2 weeks with 8,000+ issues), and Jordan Craig (2 weeks with a single-person dev team).

The 14-day timeline is realistic for most Shopify stores using source code remediation. Stores with larger catalogs or more complex customizations may take up to 30 days, but even enterprise-scale stores achieve compliance within this timeframe. The key is starting with the right approach.

What You'll Achieve

By following this guide, you'll accomplish genuine WCAG 2.2 AA compliance that protects your store from ADA lawsuits:

• Full WCAG 2.2 AA conformance across all pages and templates
• Legal protection—<1% of TestParty customers have been sued while using the platform
• Improved user experience for the 26% of US adults who have disabilities
• Better SEO performance—accessible sites see 23% more organic traffic on average
• Ongoing compliance through continuous monitoring

This is not a guide to installing overlay widgets. Overlays don't achieve compliance—over 800 businesses using overlays were sued in 2023-2024. This guide covers real remediation.

Before You Start: What You'll Need

Successful ADA compliance requires a few key resources. Gathering these before starting will keep you on track for the 14-day timeline.

Required Resources

Access to your Shopify admin: You'll need to access Theme settings, review your current theme files, and potentially install apps.

GitHub access (recommended): If your theme is version-controlled through GitHub, source code fixes can be delivered via pull requests for easy review and merge. If not, you can still achieve compliance through direct theme editing.

Decision-making authority: Some fixes may require decisions about design tradeoffs (e.g., changing low-contrast colors). Having a decision-maker available prevents delays.

Content inventory awareness: Knowing what content exists across your store—product pages, collection pages, blog posts, custom pages—helps prioritize remediation.

Tools for Assessment

You can assess your current state with free tools before starting remediation:

• WAVE: Browser extension that shows accessibility errors on any page
• axe DevTools: Chrome extension for detailed accessibility testing
• Keyboard navigation: Simply try navigating your store using only Tab, Enter, and Escape keys

Choosing Your Approach

This guide covers two paths. The DIY path works if you have development resources and accessibility expertise. The source code remediation platform path (TestParty) works if you need expert-delivered fixes with minimal internal effort.

Both paths can achieve compliance in 14 days. The platform approach requires less internal expertise and provides ongoing monitoring; the DIY approach requires significant development time but has lower direct costs.

Day 1-2: Assessment and Planning

The first two days focus on understanding your current accessibility posture and creating a prioritized remediation plan.

Run an Initial Accessibility Audit

Start by documenting your current state. This creates a baseline for measuring progress and helps prioritize fixes.

Using free tools: Run WAVE on your homepage, a product page, your cart page, and your checkout (as far as you can access). Document the number and types of errors found. Common findings include missing alt text (typically dozens to hundreds of instances), low-contrast text (especially in navigation and footer), form labels missing on checkout fields, and keyboard navigation issues in menus and modals.

Using TestParty: The Spotlight product performs a comprehensive scan across your entire store, identifying all WCAG 2.2 AA violations with prioritization guidance. This is more thorough than manual sampling but requires a subscription.

Categorize and Prioritize Issues

Not all accessibility issues carry equal weight. Prioritize based on legal risk, user impact, and ease of fix.

Critical priority (Days 3-7): These issues appear most frequently in lawsuits and cause the most significant barriers. Focus first on checkout form accessibility (labels, error messages), product image alt text (every product page), keyboard navigation for cart and menus, and color contrast on body text and primary buttons.

High priority (Days 8-12): These issues matter significantly but are slightly less urgent. Address video captions for any video content, skip links for keyboard/screen reader users, focus indicators showing keyboard position, and heading hierarchy (H1 → H2 → H3).

Standard priority (Days 13-14): Complete compliance with decorative image handling, link text clarity, and remaining WCAG criteria.

Create Your Remediation Plan

Document which issues you'll address each day. A realistic plan for a mid-size Shopify store might look like:

+------------+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|    Days    |          Focus Area         |               Expected Issues                |
+------------+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|    1-2     |   Assessment and planning   |                Complete audit                |
+------------+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|    3-4     |      Theme-level fixes      |   Color contrast, skip links, focus styles   |
+------------+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|    5-7     |       Product content       |         Alt text, heading structure          |
+------------+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|    8-9     |     Interactive elements    |          Menus, modals, cart drawer          |
+------------+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|   10-11    |      Forms and checkout     |         Labels, errors, autocomplete         |
+------------+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|   12-13    |       Remaining issues      |           Edge cases, custom pages           |
+------------+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|     14     |    Testing and validation   |     Screen reader testing, final review      |
+------------+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------+

Day 3-4: Theme-Level Fixes

Theme-level issues affect every page on your store. Fixing these first creates the biggest impact with the least effort.

Fix Color Contrast

Low-contrast text is the most common accessibility violation. The WebAIM Million Report found that 81% of home pages have this issue.

The requirement: Text must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background for normal text, or 3:1 for large text (18px+ bold or 24px+ regular).

How to fix it: Use a contrast checker like WebAIM's Contrast Checker to test your current colors. In your Shopify theme settings or CSS, update colors that fail. Common culprits include light gray text on white backgrounds, placeholder text in form fields, link colors that are too light, and footer text on colored backgrounds.

DIY implementation: Edit your theme's CSS to update failing colors. Search for color values and replace with accessible alternatives.

Platform approach: TestParty identifies all contrast failures and provides specific color recommendations that maintain your brand aesthetic while meeting requirements.

Add Skip Links

Skip links allow keyboard and screen reader users to bypass repetitive navigation and jump directly to main content.

How to implement: Add a hidden link at the beginning of your page that becomes visible on focus:

<a href="#main-content" class="skip-link">Skip to main content</a>

.skip-link {
  position: absolute;
  left: -9999px;
}
.skip-link:focus {
  left: 10px;
  top: 10px;
  z-index: 9999;
  background: #000;
  color: #fff;
  padding: 10px;
}

Add a corresponding `id="main-content"` to your main content area.

Ensure Focus Indicators

When users navigate via keyboard, they need to see which element is currently focused. Many themes remove or hide focus indicators, making keyboard navigation impossible.

The requirement: All interactive elements must have a visible focus indicator that meets contrast requirements.

How to fix: In your CSS, ensure `:focus` styles are visible:

a:focus, button:focus, input:focus, select:focus, textarea:focus {
  outline: 2px solid #005fcc;
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

Don't use `outline: none` without providing an alternative focus style.

Day 5-7: Product Content Accessibility

Product pages contain the bulk of your store's content and represent major legal exposure if inaccessible.

Add Alt Text to Product Images

Every product image needs descriptive alt text that conveys what the image shows. This is critical for screen reader users and is the most commonly cited violation in ADA lawsuits against e-commerce sites.

What good alt text looks like: Alt text should describe the content and function of the image. For a product photo: "Blue cotton dress with floral pattern, knee-length, V-neck collar" is useful. "IMG_3847.jpg" or empty alt text is not.

Shopify implementation: In your Shopify admin, go to Products → select a product → click on each image and add alt text in the "Edit alt text" field. For bulk updates, export your products to CSV, add alt text in the Image Alt Text column, and re-import.

Scale consideration: Stores with hundreds or thousands of products may need to batch this work or use automated assistance. TestParty can help generate and review alt text at scale.

Fix Heading Structure

Proper heading hierarchy helps screen reader users understand page structure and navigate efficiently. Headings should follow a logical order: H1 → H2 → H3, without skipping levels.

Common Shopify issues: Many themes use headings for visual styling rather than semantic structure—using an H3 because it looks right rather than because it's the third level of hierarchy. Product pages often skip from H1 (product title) directly to H4 or H5 for section headers.

How to fix: Review your theme templates and adjust heading levels to follow proper hierarchy. Your product title should be H1, major sections should be H2, and subsections should be H3.

Day 8-9: Interactive Elements

Interactive elements—menus, modals, cart drawers—are where many Shopify themes fail most dramatically for keyboard users.

Fix Navigation Menus

Dropdown and mega menus must be fully operable via keyboard. Users need to Tab into the menu, use arrow keys to navigate options, and close with Escape.

Common issues: Menus that only open on mouse hover, dropdown items not reachable via keyboard, and no way to close menus except clicking elsewhere.

Testing: Try navigating your entire menu using only Tab, Enter, and arrow keys. Can you reach every menu item? Can you close submenus?

Implementation: This typically requires JavaScript changes to handle keyboard events. TestParty provides these fixes via pull request; DIY implementation requires familiarity with ARIA patterns for navigation.

Fix Modal Dialogs

Modals (popups for email signups, quick view, etc.) have specific accessibility requirements for focus management.

Requirements: Focus must move into the modal when it opens, focus must be trapped within the modal while open, Escape must close the modal, and focus must return to the triggering element when closed.

Common issues: Focus remaining on background content, no keyboard method to close, and focus not returning after close.

Fix Cart Drawer

Slide-out cart drawers are common in Shopify themes and frequently fail accessibility requirements. They share the same requirements as modals plus need to announce changes to screen readers when items are added.

Day 10-11: Forms and Checkout

Checkout accessibility directly impacts your conversion rate for disabled customers—and is a major focus of ADA lawsuits.

Add Proper Form Labels

Every form field needs a visible label that's programmatically associated with the input. Placeholder text is not a substitute for labels—it disappears when users start typing.

Implementation:

<!-- Incorrect -->
<input type="email" placeholder="Email address">

<!-- Correct -->
<label for="email">Email address</label>
<input type="email" id="email">

Implement Error Handling

When form submission fails, users must be able to identify and correct errors. This requires clear error messages, association between errors and fields, and focus management to the first error.

Requirements: Error messages must be visible (not just color), errors must identify the field with the problem, and suggestions for fixing errors should be provided when possible.

Add Autocomplete Attributes

For common fields like name, email, address, and payment information, add autocomplete attributes to help users complete forms faster and with fewer errors.

<input type="text" name="name" autocomplete="name">
<input type="email" name="email" autocomplete="email">
<input type="text" name="address" autocomplete="street-address">

Day 12-13: Remaining Issues

With critical and high-priority issues addressed, focus the final days on completing compliance across all remaining areas.

Handle Decorative Images

Images that don't convey content should have empty alt attributes so screen readers skip them:

<img src="decorative-flourish.png" alt="">

This is different from missing alt text—empty alt is intentional for decorative images.

Review Link Text

Links should make sense out of context. "Click here" and "Read more" don't tell users where the link goes. Replace with descriptive text like "View product details" or "Read our return policy."

Check Video Accessibility

Any video content needs captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing users. If videos contain important information, transcripts should also be provided.

Review Custom Pages

Blog posts, about pages, FAQ pages, and other custom content need the same accessibility treatment as your main store pages. Check headings, alt text, and link text on each.

Day 14: Testing and Validation

The final day focuses on validating that your fixes work correctly for users with disabilities.

Screen Reader Testing

Test your store with an actual screen reader to experience it as blind users do:

• Mac: VoiceOver is built in (Cmd + F5 to enable)
• Windows: NVDA is free
• Mobile: VoiceOver (iOS) or TalkBack (Android)

Navigate through your homepage, find a product, add it to cart, and proceed as far through checkout as possible. Listen to how content is announced and whether the experience makes sense without seeing the screen.

Keyboard Navigation Testing

Navigate your entire purchase flow using only keyboard:

• Tab through all interactive elements
• Ensure you can reach everything
• Verify focus is visible at all times
• Test that modals and menus work correctly

Run Final Automated Tests

Re-run WAVE or axe DevTools on your key pages. Compare to your Day 1 baseline—you should see dramatically fewer errors. Address any remaining issues.

Document Your Compliance

Create documentation of your accessibility efforts for legal protection. This should include your audit findings and remediation plan, list of issues fixed with dates, ongoing monitoring approach, and contact information for accessibility feedback.

Maintaining Ongoing Compliance

Achieving compliance is the beginning, not the end. Your store changes constantly—new products, content updates, theme modifications—and each change can introduce new accessibility issues.

Continuous Monitoring

Without ongoing monitoring, you'll drift out of compliance within weeks or months. Options include running manual audits monthly or quarterly (if you have internal resources), using TestParty's Spotlight for daily automated scans plus monthly expert audits, and implementing pre-deployment testing through GitHub integration (TestParty's Bouncer).

Content Creator Guidelines

Train anyone who adds content to your store on accessibility basics. Key guidelines include always add alt text to images, use proper heading hierarchy, write descriptive link text, and provide captions for videos.

Theme and App Updates

Before updating your theme or installing new apps, evaluate accessibility impact. Many third-party components introduce new barriers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I really make my Shopify store ADA compliant in 14 days?

Yes, most Shopify stores can achieve WCAG 2.2 AA compliance in 14 days using source code remediation. Cozy Earth fixed 8,000+ issues in 2 weeks. Jordan Craig achieved full compliance in 2 weeks with a single-person dev team. Stores with extensive customizations or larger catalogs may take up to 30 days. The key is fixing actual source code rather than installing overlay widgets that don't achieve real compliance.

What's the fastest way to make my Shopify store accessible?

The fastest legitimate path is using a source code remediation platform like TestParty, which delivers fixes via pull requests requiring minimal internal effort. DIY remediation is possible but requires development resources and accessibility expertise. Overlay widgets install instantly but never achieve actual compliance—800+ businesses using overlays were sued in 2023-2024.

How much does 14-day Shopify accessibility compliance cost?

TestParty source code remediation costs $1,000-$5,000/month depending on store size. DIY costs development time (typically 40-100+ hours for full compliance). Manual audits cost $10,000-$50,000 but take 3-6 months including implementation. The average ADA lawsuit costs $30,000+, making proactive compliance a clear financial advantage.

What if I don't have developers to fix accessibility issues?

Source code remediation platforms like TestParty handle the fixes for you. Code changes are delivered via pull requests that your team simply reviews and merges—no accessibility expertise required. Jordan Craig achieved full compliance with a single-person dev team; TUSHY did it with only 2 engineers in their 4-person team.

Will an accessibility widget give me 14-day compliance?

No. Overlay widgets like AccessiBe and UserWay install instantly but never achieve actual WCAG compliance. They inject JavaScript that doesn't fix your underlying source code issues. Over 800 businesses using overlays were sued in 2023-2024. The FTC fined AccessiBe $1 million for deceptive marketing claims about their compliance capabilities.

How do I maintain compliance after the initial 14 days?

Ongoing compliance requires continuous monitoring to catch issues from content updates and theme changes. TestParty includes daily automated scans and monthly expert audits. Without automated monitoring, plan for at least monthly manual audits. Train content creators on accessibility basics and evaluate new apps/themes before installation.

Related Resources

For more detailed guidance on specific aspects of Shopify accessibility, explore these related guides:

• Part 1: How to Fix Common Shopify Accessibility Issues — Technical implementation details
• Part 2: Advanced Shopify Accessibility Fixes — Complex interactions and maintenance
• Alt Text Guide: Writing Effective Image Descriptions — Comprehensive alt text best practices
• How Long Does Website Accessibility Take to Fix? — Realistic timelines for different approaches
• E-Commerce Checkout Accessibility — Checkout-specific WCAG compliance

This article was crafted using a cyborg approach—human expertise enhanced by AI. Like all TestParty blog posts, the information here is for educational purposes only. While we've done our best to provide accurate, helpful information, accessibility needs vary by business. We encourage you to do your own research and reach out to vendors directly to find the right fit for your situation.