The Shopify Accessibility Playbook: Themes, Apps, and Checkout

Shopify powers millions of ecommerce stores, from solo entrepreneurs to global brands. The platform's ease of use has democratized online selling—but it's also created a massive accessibility problem. Most Shopify stores ship with accessibility barriers baked in, making them legally vulnerable and costing merchants revenue they don't even know they're losing.

But Shopify accessibility isn't just about avoiding lawsuits. According to the CDC's disability statistics, 27% of US adults have some form of disability. When your accessible Shopify themes and checkout flows work for everyone, you capture customers your competitors are accidentally excluding.

This playbook covers the most common Shopify accessibility pitfalls and how to fix them across themes, apps, and checkout—the three areas where problems concentrate.

Common Shopify Accessibility Pitfalls

Themes

The theme you choose sets the accessibility foundation for your entire store. Unfortunately, many popular themes ship with significant barriers.

Non-semantic markup in navigation and product grids. Many themes use <div> elements with click handlers instead of proper <button> elements and <nav> landmarks. This means screen readers can't identify navigation regions, and keyboard users can't interact with controls properly. The W3C's guide to accessible navigation explains proper semantic structure.

Poor contrast in default color schemes. Theme designers often prioritize aesthetic trends over accessibility. Light gray text on white backgrounds, low-contrast call-to-action buttons, and placeholder text that's barely visible all fail WCAG contrast requirements. Users with low vision can't read your product descriptions or find your add-to-cart buttons.

Missing skip links. Skip links let keyboard users jump past navigation to main content. Most Shopify themes don't include them, forcing keyboard users to tab through dozens of navigation links on every page before reaching products.

Image sliders and carousels with accessibility nightmares. Auto-advancing carousels that can't be paused, slides that can't be reached with keyboard, and content changes that aren't announced to screen readers are endemic to Shopify themes.

Hamburger menus that trap focus or are keyboard-inaccessible. Mobile navigation patterns often break completely for keyboard users. Menus that can't be opened without touch, focus that escapes the menu into hidden content, and no way to close the menu with Escape are common failures.

Apps and Widgets

Shopify's app ecosystem is a strength—and an accessibility liability. Third-party apps inject code into your store, and most don't prioritize accessibility.

Pop-ups and email capture modals that trap focus. When a modal opens, focus should move to it. When it closes, focus should return to the triggering element. Most Shopify pop-up apps fail both requirements, leaving keyboard users stranded or forcing them to restart navigation from the top of the page.

Chat widgets that can't be operated without a mouse. Live chat and chatbot widgets are often completely inaccessible to keyboard users. Buttons that don't receive focus, chat windows that can't be navigated, and dismiss controls that don't work with keyboard all prevent users from getting help.

Review carousels and social proof widgets. Apps that display reviews, Instagram feeds, or social proof often use inaccessible carousel patterns or completely hide content from assistive technology.

Countdown timers and urgency messaging. "Only 3 left!" and countdown timers often use techniques that screen readers don't detect, or worse, announce repeatedly and disruptively.

Checkout and Cart

Checkout is where revenue happens—and where accessibility barriers cause the most direct business harm.

Inaccessible error handling. When users enter invalid information, do they know what went wrong? Many Shopify checkouts show visual error states without programmatically associating errors with form fields. Screen reader users hear nothing useful. WCAG's guidance on error identification requires errors to be identified in text and associated with the problematic field.

Missing form labels. Credit card fields, shipping address inputs, and contact forms often lack proper <label> elements, relying instead on placeholder text that disappears when you start typing. Screen reader users don't know what information to enter.

Unannounced dynamic updates. When shipping options load, when cart totals update, when promo codes are applied—these changes need to be announced to screen reader users. Most Shopify implementations change content visually without notifying assistive technology.

Express checkout buttons that keyboard users can't reach. Shop Pay, PayPal, and Apple Pay buttons are often implemented in ways that exclude keyboard navigation, preventing users who rely on keyboards from using these faster checkout options.

Choosing and Customizing Themes for Accessibility

What to Look for in a Base Theme

Before installing a theme, evaluate its accessibility foundation:

Semantic HTML structure. View the page source or use browser developer tools. Look for proper use of <header>, <nav>, <main>, <footer> landmarks. Check that headings follow a logical hierarchy (H1 for page title, H2 for major sections). The WebAIM WAVE tool provides quick structural analysis.

Keyboard navigability. Tab through the theme demo using only your keyboard. Can you reach all interactive elements? Can you see where focus is at all times? Can you operate menus, add products to cart, and access all content?

Responsive behavior that preserves accessibility. Check the mobile version. Does navigation work with keyboard? Do touch targets meet the minimum 24x24 pixel size? Does content remain accessible when layouts shift?

Documentation and support. Does the theme developer mention accessibility? Have they responded to accessibility-related support requests? A theme developer who cares about accessibility is more likely to fix issues you report.

Dawn as a baseline. Shopify's free Dawn theme was built with accessibility as a priority and serves as a reasonable baseline, though it still requires attention and customization for full compliance.

Safe Customization Practices

Once you've chosen a theme, customize carefully to avoid introducing new barriers:

Avoid "quick fixes" that break semantics. Don't change a <button> to a <div> for styling convenience. Don't nest interactive elements (links inside buttons). Don't remove focus outlines without providing visible alternatives.

Test every customization with keyboard and screen reader. Before deploying theme changes, verify the modification works for keyboard users. At minimum, tab through the affected area and ensure you can still interact with everything.

Maintain color contrast when changing colors. When updating brand colors, verify text remains readable. Use a contrast checker tool to confirm combinations meet WCAG AA requirements (4.5:1 for body text, 3:1 for large text and UI components).

Document accessibility-relevant customizations. If you modify navigation, add new interactive components, or change focus behavior, document what was changed and why. Future developers (or future you) need this context.

Vetting and Managing Third-Party Apps

Pre-Install Checklist

Before adding any app to your store, evaluate its accessibility:

Check for accessibility documentation. Does the app's documentation mention accessibility, WCAG, or screen reader support? Presence of documentation suggests the developer at least considers accessibility.

Look for accessibility statements. Some app developers publish accessibility conformance statements or VPATs. This indicates deliberate accessibility investment.

Test the demo. Most apps offer demos or free trials. Before installing, test the demo with keyboard navigation. Can you interact with all app features without a mouse?

Check reviews for accessibility mentions. Search app reviews for terms like "accessibility," "screen reader," "keyboard," or "ADA." Other merchants may have reported issues.

Ask the developer directly. Reach out before installing. "Does your app meet WCAG 2.1 AA requirements?" Responsive, informed answers indicate accessibility awareness.

Wrapping Inaccessible Apps

Sometimes you need an app that has accessibility issues. Where possible, mitigate problems:

Add ARIA labels where feasible. If an app injects a button without an accessible name, you may be able to add aria-label through theme customization or additional code snippets. This is a workaround, not a fix—push the developer for proper implementation.

Provide alternative paths to functionality. If a chat widget is inaccessible, ensure your contact page and email support are fully accessible alternatives. Don't let an inaccessible app be the only way users can get help.

Consider replacing high-impact apps. If an app affects critical user journeys (checkout, navigation, core product features) and has significant accessibility barriers, replacing it may be more practical than working around it.

Report issues to developers. Many app developers aren't aware of accessibility problems. Detailed reports of specific issues increase the chances of fixes. Reference WCAG criteria when possible.

Automating Audits and Fixes Across Shopify

Manual testing is essential but doesn't scale. Automation provides continuous monitoring and accelerates remediation.

Domain-level scanning across all store templates. TestParty scans your entire Shopify store—every page template, product page, collection page, and checkout step. This comprehensive view reveals patterns (like a navigation issue appearing on every page) versus one-off problems.

Automated suggestions for fixes in Liquid templates or theme code. When TestParty identifies issues, we don't just report them—we provide specific code-level fixes. For Shopify, this means suggestions that can be implemented in your theme's Liquid templates.

Continuous monitoring as you add products and content. New products, new collections, and new content can introduce accessibility issues (like missing alt text on images). Ongoing scanning catches these issues before they accumulate.

Integration with your development workflow. If you use version control for theme development, TestParty can integrate into your CI/CD process to catch accessibility regressions before they're deployed to production.

Conclusion – Turning Accessibility into a Brand Advantage

Shopify accessibility isn't just about compliance checkboxes—it's about building a store that works for every potential customer. When your accessible Shopify themes, vetted apps, and barrier-free checkout work for users with disabilities, they work better for everyone.

The merchants who invest in Shopify ADA compliance now gain advantages:

• Reduced legal risk from the wave of ecommerce accessibility lawsuits
• Increased revenue from customers who can actually complete purchases
• Brand differentiation in a market where most competitors ship inaccessible experiences
• Improved conversion from cleaner code, faster pages, and reduced friction

The path is clear: choose themes carefully, vet apps before installation, monitor continuously, and fix issues systematically. Your Shopify store can be both beautiful and accessible.

Curious how your Shopify store really scores on accessibility? Run a no-cost scan today and see exactly where your store needs attention.

Related Articles:

• Automated Accessibility Remediation: Everything You Need to Know
• Revolutionize Your eCommerce Store's Accessibility