WCAG 2.2 is the current version of the web accessibility rules, and it adds nine new success criteria to the version before it. In short: it asks for bigger tap targets, easier logins, help that stays in the same place, and focus outlines that are not hidden. It also drops one old rule, 4.1.1 Parsing. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) published it on October 5, 2023.
This guide explains the new rules in plain words. It also shows how a company website can use them, and what to ask when you hire a team to build or fix your site.
What WCAG 2.2 is
WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The W3C writes them so that people with disabilities can use websites. That includes people who are blind, deaf, have low vision, or cannot use a mouse.
Each rule is called a success criterion. Each one has a level: A is the basic level, AA is the middle level, and AAA is the highest. Level AA is the level most buyers ask for in a contract.
WCAG 2.2 builds on version 2.1. The W3C says content that meets 2.2 also meets 2.1 and 2.0, with one exception: 4.1.1 Parsing, which 2.2 treats as obsolete. If your site already follows 2.1, you do not start over. You add the new items.
Sources: W3C, "What's New in WCAG 2.2"; W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview"
The nine new success criteria
Here is the full list, grouped by level.
| Number and name | Level | In plain words |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) | AA | When a button or link gets keyboard focus, at least part of it must stay visible, not buried under a sticky banner. |
| 2.5.7 Dragging Movements | AA | Anything that needs dragging must also work with a simple click or tap. |
| 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) | AA | Click targets should be at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels, or have enough space around them. |
| 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) | AA | Logging in should not depend on a memory test or a puzzle, unless there is another way. |
| 3.2.6 Consistent Help | A | If you repeat help links, such as contact details or chat, keep them in the same order on every page. |
| 3.3.7 Redundant Entry | A | Do not make people type the same information twice in one process. |
| 2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) | AAA | A focused item must not be hidden at all. |
| 2.4.13 Focus Appearance | AAA | The focus outline must be large enough and have strong contrast. |
| 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) | AAA | Login should not ask people to pick out objects or images, with the same exceptions. |
Six of the nine sit at Level A or AA. Those are the ones most buyers will ask for.
Sources: W3C, "What's New in WCAG 2.2"; W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Recommendation
What the new rules mean for a business site
Most of the new Level AA rules touch parts of a site that a company controls directly.
- Small buttons. The 24 by 24 pixel rule has exceptions. A small target passes if a 24 pixel circle around it does not touch another target. Links inside a sentence are also excepted. Check icon rows, close buttons and footer links first.
- Sticky headers and cookie bars. If a fixed bar covers a field when someone tabs to it, the page fails 2.4.11.
- Login and forms. Let password managers work and allow pasting. Do not make people retype a code by hand when there is a better way. In a checkout or a quote form, carry over details people already gave you.
- Drag tools. A slider, a sortable list or a file upload that only works by dragging needs a click option as well.
- Help links. If your chat button or phone number sits in the header on one page, keep it there on all pages.
None of these asks for a redesign. Most are small fixes in code and style sheets.
Sources: W3C, "Understanding SC 2.5.8: Target Size (Minimum)"; W3C, "What's New in WCAG 2.2"
The one rule that went away
WCAG 2.2 removes 4.1.1 Parsing. That rule asked pages to avoid certain markup errors, such as duplicate IDs. Modern browsers and assistive tools now handle those errors well, so the W3C calls the rule obsolete. You can stop testing for it. Clean code is still good practice, but it is no longer a pass or fail item under 2.2.
Sources: W3C, "What's New in WCAG 2.2"; W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, WCAG Overview
Why the date matters in Europe
Accessibility is also a legal topic. The European Accessibility Act is Directive (EU) 2019/882. It applies to products placed on the market, and to services provided to consumers, after June 28, 2025. Its list includes e-commerce services, which the directive describes as services provided through websites and mobile apps to conclude a consumer contract.
The directive exempts microenterprises that provide services. If you sell online to consumers in the EU and you are larger than a microenterprise, ask counsel which technical standard your country expects. The directive does not turn WCAG 2.2 into a law on its own, but WCAG is the working yardstick that most accessibility audits use. Aiming for 2.2 Level AA gives you a margin.
Sources: Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council (European Accessibility Act), Articles 2 and 4, EUR-Lex
How to ask an agency for an accessible build
You can turn WCAG 2.2 into a clear line in a contract. These questions help.
- Which conformance level and version do you build to? Ask for WCAG 2.2 Level AA in writing.
- How do you test? Look for both automated scans and manual checks, including keyboard-only use and a screen reader.
- Who fixes problems found after launch, and how fast?
- Will you give us a written report of what you tested and what still fails?
- Do our design files show focus outlines, error states and tap sizes?
Automated tools catch only part of the issues, so a vendor who relies on a scan alone is not covering the whole job. Ask to see a sample report from an earlier project. Treat the answers like any vendor comparison: the team that explains its method clearly is usually the safer pick.
Sources: W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, WCAG Overview; W3C, "What's New in WCAG 2.2"
Sources
- W3C, "What's New in WCAG 2.2." w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/new-in-22
- W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. w3.org/TR/WCAG22
- W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, WCAG Overview. w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag
- W3C, "Understanding SC 2.5.8: Target Size (Minimum)." w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/target-size-minimum
- Directive (EU) 2019/882, European Accessibility Act. eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj