What Are All 87 WCAG 2.2 Success Criteria?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 contains exactly 87 success criteria that define web accessibility standards. Released in October 2023, WCAG 2.2 builds upon version 2.1 by adding 9 new criteria while removing one (4.1.1 Parsing), bringing the total from 78 to 87 testable requirements. Understanding this complete WCAG 2.2 success criteria list is essential for legal compliance, as over 4,000 ADA web accessibility lawsuits were filed in 2023 alone.

Key Takeaways

This comprehensive breakdown covers every WCAG 2.2 success criterion organized for practical implementation.

• WCAG 2.2 contains 87 success criteria organized under 4 principles (POUR) and 13 guidelines
• Level A has 32 criteria (minimum baseline), Level AA adds 24 criteria (legal standard), and Level AAA adds 31 criteria (enhanced accessibility)
• 9 new criteria in WCAG 2.2 focus on cognitive accessibility, mobile usability, and improved focus indicators
• The removed criterion (4.1.1 Parsing) was deprecated because modern browsers handle parsing errors gracefully
• Most legal requirements and organizational policies target Level AA compliance, covering 56 total criteria

Understanding WCAG 2.2 Structure

Before diving into the complete list, it's important to understand how WCAG 2.2 organizes its success criteria. The guidelines follow a hierarchical structure designed for practical implementation.

The POUR Principles

WCAG organizes all criteria under four foundational principles, often remembered by the acronym POUR:

1. Perceivable: Information must be presentable in ways users can perceive
2. Operable: Interface components must be operable by all users
3. Understandable: Information and UI operation must be understandable
4. Robust: Content must be robust enough for diverse technologies

Conformance Levels Explained

Each success criterion is assigned one of three conformance levels:

• Level A: Essential accessibility requirements that must be met
• Level AA: Standard accessibility requirements for most situations
• Level AAA: Enhanced accessibility for specialized contexts

Level AA conformance means meeting all Level A AND Level AA criteria—the levels are cumulative.

Principle 1: Perceivable (28 Criteria)

The Perceivable principle ensures users can perceive content through at least one of their senses.

Guideline 1.1: Text Alternatives

+----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|         Criterion          |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   1.1.1 Non-text Content   |     A      |   Provide text alternatives for non-text content   |
+----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Guideline 1.2: Time-Based Media

+---------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|                     Criterion                     |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+---------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)   |     A      |  Provide alternatives for prerecorded audio/video  |
+---------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|            1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded)           |     A      |  Provide captions for prerecorded audio in video   |
+---------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|    1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative   |     A      |   Provide audio description or text alternative    |
+---------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|               1.2.4 Captions (Live)               |     AA     |      Provide captions for live audio in video      |
+---------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|       1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded)       |     AA     |  Provide audio description for prerecorded video   |
+---------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|         1.2.6 Sign Language (Prerecorded)         |    AAA     |        Provide sign language interpretation        |
+---------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|          1.2.7 Extended Audio Description         |    AAA     |   Provide extended audio description when needed   |
+---------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|       1.2.8 Media Alternative (Prerecorded)       |    AAA     |   Provide text alternative for prerecorded media   |
+---------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|              1.2.9 Audio-only (Live)              |    AAA     |     Provide alternative for live audio content     |
+---------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Guideline 1.3: Adaptable

+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|             Criterion             |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|    1.3.1 Info and Relationships   |     A      |    Preserve structure and relationships in code    |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence     |     A      |     Maintain correct reading sequence in code      |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics   |     A      | Don't rely solely on shape, size, location, or sound |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|         1.3.4 Orientation         |     AA     | Don't restrict content to single display orientation |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|    1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose   |     AA     |        Identify the purpose of input fields        |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|       1.3.6 Identify Purpose      |    AAA     |       Identify the purpose of UI components        |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Guideline 1.4: Distinguishable

+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|                Criterion                |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|            1.4.1 Use of Color           |     A      | Don't use color as only visual means of conveying info |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|           1.4.2 Audio Control           |     A      | Provide mechanism to pause/stop audio over 3 seconds |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|         1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)        |     AA     |       Text contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|            1.4.4 Resize Text            |     AA     | Text resizable up to 200% without loss of function |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|           1.4.5 Images of Text          |     AA     |  Use text instead of images of text when possible  |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|        1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced)        |    AAA     |        Text contrast ratio of at least 7:1         |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     1.4.7 Low or No Background Audio    |    AAA     |  Speech recordings have minimal background noise   |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|        1.4.8 Visual Presentation        |    AAA     |      Text formatting options for readability       |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   1.4.9 Images of Text (No Exception)   |    AAA     |  Images of text only for decoration or essential   |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|              1.4.10 Reflow              |     AA     | Content reflows without horizontal scrolling at 400% |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|         1.4.11 Non-text Contrast        |     AA     |       UI components have 3:1 contrast ratio        |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|           1.4.12 Text Spacing           |     AA     |   No loss of content with adjusted text spacing    |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus    |     AA     |     Dismissable, hoverable, persistent content     |
+-----------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Principle 2: Operable (29 Criteria)

The Operable principle ensures users can interact with all interface components and navigation.

Guideline 2.1: Keyboard Accessible

+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|             Criterion             |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|           2.1.1 Keyboard          |     A      |      All functionality available via keyboard      |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|       2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap      |     A      |    Keyboard focus can move away from components    |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   2.1.3 Keyboard (No Exception)   |    AAA     |      All functionality available via keyboard      |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts   |     A      |   Shortcuts using only letters can be turned off   |
+-----------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Guideline 2.2: Enough Time

+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|          Criterion          |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   2.2.1 Timing Adjustable   |     A      |     Time limits can be extended or turned off      |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide   |     A      |  Moving content can be paused, stopped, or hidden  |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|       2.2.3 No Timing       |    AAA     |       Timing not essential part of activity        |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     2.2.4 Interruptions     |    AAA     |    Interruptions can be postponed or suppressed    |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   2.2.5 Re-authenticating   |    AAA     |       Data preserved after re-authentication       |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|        2.2.6 Timeouts       |    AAA     |    Users warned about data loss from inactivity    |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Guideline 2.3: Seizures and Physical Reactions

+--------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|                 Criterion                  |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+--------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold   |     A      |  No content flashes more than 3 times per second   |
+--------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|            2.3.2 Three Flashes             |    AAA     |  No content flashes more than 3 times per second   |
+--------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     2.3.3 Animation from Interactions      |    AAA     |          Motion animation can be disabled          |
+--------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Guideline 2.4: Navigable

+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|                Criterion                 |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|           2.4.1 Bypass Blocks            |     A      |    Mechanism to bypass repeated content blocks     |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|            2.4.2 Page Titled             |     A      |           Pages have descriptive titles            |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|            2.4.3 Focus Order             |     A      |   Focus order preserves meaning and operability    |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context)      |     A      |   Link purpose determinable from link or context   |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|           2.4.5 Multiple Ways            |     AA     |    Multiple ways to locate pages within a site     |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|        2.4.6 Headings and Labels         |     AA     |   Headings and labels describe topic or purpose    |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|           2.4.7 Focus Visible            |     AA     |        Keyboard focus indicator is visible         |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|              2.4.8 Location              |    AAA     |     Information about user's location in site      |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|      2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only)      |    AAA     |   Link purpose determinable from link text alone   |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|         2.4.10 Section Headings          |    AAA     |     Section headings used to organize content      |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)    |     AA     |       Focused component not entirely hidden        |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced)   |    AAA     |       Focused component not partially hidden       |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|         2.4.13 Focus Appearance          |    AAA     | Focus indicators meet size and contrast requirements |
+------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Guideline 2.5: Input Modalities

+---------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|               Criterion               |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+---------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|         2.5.1 Pointer Gestures        |     A      | Multi-point gestures have single-point alternatives |
+---------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|       2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation      |     A      |      Down-event not used to trigger functions      |
+---------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|          2.5.3 Label in Name          |     A      |     Visible label included in accessible name      |
+---------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|         2.5.4 Motion Actuation        |     A      |    Motion-triggered functions have alternatives    |
+---------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|      2.5.5 Target Size (Enhanced)     |    AAA     |      Touch targets at least 44×44 CSS pixels       |
+---------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   2.5.6 Concurrent Input Mechanisms   |    AAA     |      Don't restrict input to single modality       |
+---------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|        2.5.7 Dragging Movements       |     AA     |      Dragging has single-pointer alternatives      |
+---------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|      2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)      |     AA     |      Touch targets at least 24×24 CSS pixels       |
+---------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Principle 3: Understandable (17 Criteria)

The Understandable principle ensures users can comprehend content and interface operation.

Guideline 3.1: Readable

+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|          Criterion          |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|    3.1.1 Language of Page   |     A      | Default language can be programmatically determined |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   3.1.2 Language of Parts   |     AA     | Language of passages can be programmatically determined |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     3.1.3 Unusual Words     |    AAA     |     Mechanism for definitions of unusual words     |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     3.1.4 Abbreviations     |    AAA     |     Mechanism for expansions of abbreviations      |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     3.1.5 Reading Level     |    AAA     |       Supplemental content for complex text        |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     3.1.6 Pronunciation     |    AAA     |   Mechanism for pronunciation of ambiguous words   |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Guideline 3.2: Predictable

+-------------------------------------+------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|              Criterion              |   Level    |                    Requirement                    |
+-------------------------------------+------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|            3.2.1 On Focus           |     A      |             No context change on focus            |
+-------------------------------------+------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|            3.2.2 On Input           |     A      |     No context change on input without warning    |
+-------------------------------------+------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|     3.2.3 Consistent Navigation     |     AA     |       Navigation appears in consistent order      |
+-------------------------------------+------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|   3.2.4 Consistent Identification   |     AA     |       Same functions identified consistently      |
+-------------------------------------+------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|       3.2.5 Change on Request       |    AAA     |        Context changes only on user request       |
+-------------------------------------+------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|        3.2.6 Consistent Help        |     A      |   Help mechanisms appear in consistent location   |
+-------------------------------------+------------+---------------------------------------------------+

Guideline 3.3: Input Assistance

+----------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|                     Criterion                      |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+----------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|             3.3.1 Error Identification             |     A      |    Errors automatically detected and described     |
+----------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|            3.3.2 Labels or Instructions            |     A      |     Labels or instructions provided for input      |
+----------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|               3.3.3 Error Suggestion               |     AA     |      Suggestions for fixing errors when known      |
+----------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|  3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data)   |     AA     |   Submissions reversible, checked, or confirmed    |
+----------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|                     3.3.5 Help                     |    AAA     |          Context-sensitive help available          |
+----------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|            3.3.6 Error Prevention (All)            |    AAA     | All submissions reversible, checked, or confirmed  |
+----------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|               3.3.7 Redundant Entry                |     A      |    Auto-populate previously entered information    |
+----------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum)      |     AA     |   No cognitive function test for authentication    |
+----------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|     3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)     |    AAA     |   No object or user-supplied content recognition   |
+----------------------------------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Principle 4: Robust (13 Criteria)

The Robust principle ensures content works with current and future technologies.

Guideline 4.1: Compatible

+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|          Criterion          |   Level    |                    Requirement                     |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   4.1.2 Name, Role, Value   |     A      | Name, role, value available for all UI components  |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|    4.1.3 Status Messages    |     AA     | Status messages announced to assistive technologies |
+-----------------------------+------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Note: Criterion 4.1.1 Parsing was removed in WCAG 2.2 because modern browsers handle parsing errors robustly.

New Criteria in WCAG 2.2

WCAG 2.2 introduced 9 new success criteria focusing on cognitive accessibility and mobile users:

Level A Additions

1. 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum): Focused elements cannot be completely hidden by other content
2. 3.2.6 Consistent Help: Help mechanisms appear in consistent locations
3. 3.3.7 Redundant Entry: Don't require re-entering previously submitted information

Level AA Additions

1. 2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced): Focused elements cannot be partially hidden
2. 2.4.13 Focus Appearance: Focus indicators must meet specific size and contrast requirements
3. 2.5.7 Dragging Movements: Provide alternatives to drag-and-drop functionality
4. 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum): Touch targets must be at least 24×24 CSS pixels
5. 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum): Don't require cognitive function tests for login

Level AAA Additions

1. 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced): Stricter authentication requirements

Level Breakdown Summary

+------------+--------------------+----------------------+
|   Level    |   Criteria Count   |   Cumulative Total   |
+------------+--------------------+----------------------+
|     A      |         32         |          32          |
+------------+--------------------+----------------------+
|     AA     |         24         |          56          |
+------------+--------------------+----------------------+
|    AAA     |         31         |          87          |
+------------+--------------------+----------------------+

For Level AA compliance (the most common legal requirement), organizations must meet all 56 Level A and Level AA criteria.

Implementation Priority Guide

When implementing WCAG 2.2 compliance, consider this priority framework:

High Priority (Legal Risk)

• 1.1.1 Non-text Content (alt text)
• 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)
• 2.1.1 Keyboard accessibility
• 2.4.7 Focus Visible
• 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value

Medium Priority (User Impact)

• 1.3.1 Info and Relationships
• 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks
• 3.3.1 Error Identification
• 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions

New 2.2 Criteria to Prioritize

• 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)
• 3.3.7 Redundant Entry
• 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication

Testing Your Implementation

Automated testing tools can detect approximately 30-40% of WCAG issues. The remaining criteria require manual testing and expert evaluation.

Automated Testing Coverage

• Color contrast (1.4.3, 1.4.11)
• Missing alt text (1.1.1)
• Form labels (3.3.2)
• Language attributes (3.1.1)

Manual Testing Required

• Keyboard navigation (2.1.1, 2.1.2)
• Focus order logic (2.4.3)
• Content comprehension (3.1.x)
• Context changes (3.2.x)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many success criteria are in WCAG 2.2?

WCAG 2.2 contains exactly 87 success criteria distributed across three conformance levels: 32 at Level A, 24 at Level AA, and 31 at Level AAA. This represents an increase from WCAG 2.1's 78 criteria, with 9 new additions and 1 removal.

What is the difference between WCAG levels A, AA, and AAA?

Level A represents minimum accessibility requirements, Level AA is the standard for most legal compliance requirements, and Level AAA provides enhanced accessibility for specialized situations. The levels are cumulative, meaning Level AA compliance requires meeting all Level A and AA criteria (56 total).

Which WCAG 2.2 criteria were newly added?

WCAG 2.2 added 9 new criteria: Focus Not Obscured (Minimum and Enhanced), Focus Appearance, Dragging Movements, Target Size (Minimum), Consistent Help, Redundant Entry, and Accessible Authentication (Minimum and Enhanced). These primarily address cognitive disabilities and mobile accessibility.

Why was criterion 4.1.1 Parsing removed from WCAG 2.2?

The W3C removed 4.1.1 Parsing because modern web browsers and assistive technologies now handle HTML parsing errors gracefully. The original intent—ensuring content is correctly interpreted—is now achieved through browser standards rather than requiring perfectly valid markup.

Do I need to meet all 87 criteria for compliance?

Most legal requirements specify Level AA compliance, which includes 56 criteria (all Level A and AA). Level AAA is typically not required for full conformance but may apply to specific organizational policies or specialized audiences.

How often should I audit against WCAG 2.2?

Organizations should conduct comprehensive accessibility audits annually at minimum, with automated testing integrated into development workflows. Any significant site updates or new feature launches should trigger additional focused testing.

Related Resources

• WCAG 2.2 vs 2.1: What Changed and Migration Guide
• WCAG Level AA Checklist for 2026
• Understanding WCAG 2.4.11 Focus Appearance
• Animation from Interactions: WCAG 2.3.3 Guide
• Complete Guide to Automated Accessibility Testing

This article was crafted using a cyborg approach—human expertise enhanced by AI to provide accurate, comprehensive accessibility guidance based on the official W3C WCAG 2.2 specification at https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/.