Practices that are not great for people with disabilities but still pass WCAG 2.2 Level AA,
each matched to the requirement in the current WCAG 3 draft that would not allow it.
Practices
17
Core requirements cited
20
Draft baseline
c110b49
AA is the baseline; AAA is the stretch
Every practice here passes WCAG 2.2 Level AA, the level most laws, policies and
procurement rules point to. That makes AA the fair comparison with WCAG 3's
core requirements, which every conforming site must meet. Few organizations
target AAA, but each entry also says how the practice fares there. That shows whether WCAG 3 is
breaking new ground or moving an existing AAA criterion into the baseline.
Passes AAA too12
New ground. Even a full AAA programme would not catch this.
Depends at AAA3
An AAA criterion catches some versions of this practice but not others.
Fails AAA2
Already a AAA failure. WCAG 3 moves it into the baseline.
Read this first
Everything quoted is still a draft. Every requirement cited here is at “developing” status or earlier, so wording and exceptions can still change. WCAG 2.2 remains the standard to conform to today.
Only core requirements are in the main list. All core requirements must be met to
conform to WCAG 3, so these are the ones that would actually rule a practice out. Stricter
supplemental requirements are listed separately.
Requirement text is pulled live from the draft. The wording, status and exceptions
below come from the tracker's catalog
(upstream commit c110b49, 2026-10-07).
The practices and the AA and AAA notes are this site's interpretation of WCAG 2.2 and its
Understanding documents.
The focus order does not include hidden, static, or groups of repeated interactive elements.
Note: The draft's test procedure for this requirement checks that static elements and hidden elements don't receive focus, and that groups of repeated elements (like site navigation) can be skipped. Screen reader users already have reading commands; extra tab stops only slow keyboard users down.
Auto-focusing a field on page load, or moving focus to new content without the user asking
Example: A search box with the autofocus attribute; focus jumping to a chat widget after it loads.
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
3.2.1 On Focus A
3.2.1 says a component receiving focus must not start a change of context. It says nothing about scripts moving focus in the first place.
WCAG 2.2 AAA Depends at AAA
3.2.5 Change on Request AAA
3.2.5 requires changes of context to happen only on user request, and WCAG 2.2 defines a change of focus as a change of context. So focus jumping to a widget after load fails AAA. Whether autofocus on page load counts isn't addressed in the Understanding document.
The keyboard focus only moves as a result of user interaction.
Except when
The keyboard focus automatically moves to the next interactive elements in keyboard navigation order on completion of some user action, such when the focus moves between the fields for a time-based one-time password (TOTP) code.
The keyboard focus results from security or emergency situations, such as warning about an imminent session timeout that would cause the user to lose their work.
The user is informed of the potential keyboard focus move before it happens and given the chance to avoid the move.
Overriding browser or operating-system keyboard shortcuts
Example: A web app that takes over Ctrl+F for its own search, or Ctrl+K for a command palette.
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts A
2.1.4 only covers single-character shortcuts. Modifier-key shortcuts that clash with the browser or the screen reader are not addressed.
Custom keyboard commands do not conflict with standard platform keyboard commands or they can be remapped.
🎞️ Motion and user settings
Autoplaying hero videos, background loops and carousels made "accessible" with a pause button
Example: A looping background video behind the page headline, with a small pause control.
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide A
For moving content that starts automatically and lasts more than five seconds, 2.2.2 only requires a way to pause, stop or hide it.
WCAG 2.2 AAA Passes AAA too
2.3.3 Animation from Interactions AAA
2.3.3 covers only animation triggered by the user's interaction. Its Understanding document says animation that starts automatically falls under 2.2.2 instead, so autoplay passes AAA with just a pause control.
Content does not include pseudo-motion or visual motion lasting longer than 5 seconds.
Except when
The motion or pseudo-motion is essential.
Note: The draft offers no pause-button route. The only exception is motion that is essential.
Ignoring the user's OS and browser accessibility settings
Example: Animations that run regardless of prefers-reduced-motion; a site that ignores the system dark mode or font size.
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
No WCAG 2.2 AA criterion requires content to follow settings like reduced motion or color scheme. 1.4.4 Resize Text requires text to scale to 200%, but not that it follows the system font-size setting.
WCAG 2.2 AAA Depends at AAA
2.3.3 Animation from Interactions AAA
2.3.3 requires that animation triggered by interaction can be disabled. Honoring prefers-reduced-motion is one way to meet it, but not required, so a site with its own motion toggle passes AAA while ignoring the setting. Color scheme and font-size settings aren't covered at any level.
Content responds to users’ platform and user agent accessibility-related settings.
Draft note
Accessibility-related user settings include font size, icon size, color scheme, magnification, and motion.
📝 Forms and processes
CAPTCHAs, puzzles and "retype this code" checks on sign-up, contact or checkout forms
Example: A distorted-text CAPTCHA with an audio option on a contact form; "select all images with traffic lights" at checkout.
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
1.1.1 Non-text Content A
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) AA
3.3.8 covers only logging in to an existing account (its Understanding document excludes account creation), and even there it allows object-recognition tests at AA. Elsewhere, 1.1.1 only requires an image CAPTCHA to have a text alternative describing its purpose and a version in another sense, such as audio.
WCAG 2.2 AAA Passes AAA too
3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) AAA
3.3.9 drops the object-recognition exception, but like 3.3.8 it applies only to authentication. CAPTCHAs on sign-up, contact or checkout forms are outside it.
Processes can be completed without a cognitive function test.
Note: The draft's test procedure lists "a puzzle, image identification, gesture reproduction, math question, or character recognition/entry". So object-recognition CAPTCHAs are covered too, and the requirement applies to any process, not just login.
Blocking paste in a sign-up form's "confirm password" field
Example: A sign-up form whose "confirm password" field rejects pasted text.
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
3.3.7 Redundant Entry A
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) AA
3.3.8 covers logging in, and W3C's Understanding document says it doesn't cover creating an account. 3.3.7's Understanding document allows re-entry "if the system requires the user to manually create a password that is not displayed".
WCAG 2.2 AAA Passes AAA too
3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) AAA
3.3.9 has the same authentication-only scope as 3.3.8.
Automated input of personal information from user agents, third-party tools, or paste is not prevented.
Draft note
Personal information includes but is not limited to names and passwords.
Note: The draft's test sets up a test identity in the browser and checks that autofill populates the form. Switching off autofill would fail it too, though autocomplete="off" on fields like name or email may already fail WCAG 2.2's 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose.
Using placeholder text as the only label
Example: An input whose only label is placeholder text that meets 4.5:1 contrast but disappears once you type.
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
3.3.2 Labels or Instructions A
Placeholder text is presented to the user before input, which can meet WCAG's definition of a label. This assumes the placeholder meets 1.4.3's 4.5:1: W3C's 1.4.3 Understanding document says the criterion applies to placeholder text, and default grey placeholders usually fail it.
WCAG 2.2 AAA Passes AAA too
No AAA criterion requires labels to stay visible during input.
Persistent names (including labels) that identify the purpose of the interactive element are visually and programmatically available.
Draft note
Visible labels can be text or non-text, for instance icons.
Note: The test checks that the visual label persists during use. Icons still count as visible labels.
Showing errors only in a summary at the top of the form
Example: A summary at the top reading "Email: enter an address like name@example.com", with nothing marked on the Email field or tied to it in code.
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
3.3.1 Error Identification A
3.3.1 requires that "the item that is in error is identified and the error is described to the user in text". A summary that names each field and describes its problem does that. A bare "Please fix 3 errors" doesn't, so it already fails 2.2.
WCAG 2.2 AAA Passes AAA too
The AAA error criterion, 3.3.6 Error Prevention (All), is about checking or reversing submissions, not about where error messages appear.
When input validation fails, the errors are visually and programmatically associated with the element that caused the error or that can resolve it.
Multi-step checkouts or wizards with no list of steps or progress indicator
Example: A checkout flow where each screen just has a Continue button.
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
No AA criterion requires showing where you are in a process.
WCAG 2.2 AAA Passes AAA too
2.4.8 Location AAA
2.4.8 is about location within a set of web pages. W3C's current Understanding document (the version on w3.org, not the 2024 Recommendation snapshot) uses checkout pages as an example of pages outside the set, so a checkout with no step list passes AAA.
During the completion of a process, preselected options that impact finance, privacy or safety are visibly and programmatically available to the user by default.
Login that only works with biometrics
Example: Face or fingerprint sign-in with no password or code fallback.
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) AA
Biometrics aren't a cognitive function test, so they pass 3.3.8, and no 2.2 criterion requires a non-biometric alternative.
WCAG 2.2 AAA Passes AAA too
3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) AAA
3.3.9 also only restricts cognitive function tests, so biometric-only login passes.
1.2.8 requires a text alternative (a full transcript) for all prerecorded video. 1.2.7 requires extended audio description where the pauses are too short.
Explanations of abbreviations are available when first used.
Except when
the abbreviation is:
used so often it has become a word with its own dictionary entry, such as “scuba,” “info,” and “HTML”,
used in a logo, or
included in a longer phrase, such as “brand DNA,” whose meaning needs to be defined to meet the non-literal language requirement.
Long articles with no summary
Example: A 1,500-word policy page with no overview.
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
No AA criterion asks for summaries.
WCAG 2.2 AAA Depends at AAA
3.1.5 Reading Level AAA
3.1.5 requires supplementary content, such as a summary, or a simpler version only when the text needs reading ability above lower secondary education level. Plainly written long pages pass AAA without one.
A summary is available for long-form text content and:
is identifiable visually and programmatically,
uses concise sentences, and
provides access to explanations of any uncommon words that are used in the summary.
Applies when
a page/view with continuous long-form text content that is organized in paragraphs and has 300 or more words.
Except when
long-form text content continues on multiple pages/views, only the first page/view requires a summary.
Note: Applies to pages with 300 or more words of continuous text. The draft says the word threshold still needs research.
Instructions that refer to shape, color or position, even when they also name the control
Example: "Click the round Continue button on the right."
WCAG 2.2 AA (baseline) Passes
1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics A
1.3.3 says instructions must not rely "solely" on sensory characteristics. Naming the button satisfies that. "Click the round button on the right", with no name, already fails 2.2.
Instructions and help do not rely on sensory characteristics.
Uncertain: WCAG 3 dropped the word "solely". It's not yet clear whether that was meant to make this stricter, so treat this entry as uncertain.
➕ Stricter in WCAG 3, but not required to conform
These are supplemental requirements. They count toward the reporting tiers above conformance,
but you can conform to WCAG 3 without meeting them.
Card patterns where the image, the title and a "Read more" link all go to the same place
AA: Passes2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (A). Each link's purpose is clear from its context, so 2.4.4 passes. Nothing in 2.2 limits duplicate links.
AAA: Depends2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only) (AAA). A bare "Read more" fails 2.4.9, which requires each link's purpose to be clear from its own text. If every link has a descriptive accessible name, the duplicates pass AAA.
Adjacent interactive elements that achieve the same outcome are not included in the page/view.
Except when
That outcome is a form of dismissal.
Note: Core requirement Focus relevant also mentions "groups of repeated interactive elements", but its test procedure uses site navigation as the example and only asks for a way to skip them. It doesn't appear to cover cards.
Process time limits that users can extend
AA: Passes2.2.1 Timing Adjustable (A). 2.2.1 is met if users can turn off, adjust or extend the limit, or if one of its exceptions applies: real-time, essential, or longer than 20 hours.
AAA: Fails2.2.3 No Timing (AAA). 2.2.3 requires that timing is not an essential part of the activity, except for non-interactive synchronized media and real-time events, so even an extendable limit fails AAA.
The completion of a process does not include time limits.
Except when
the time limit is essential.
✅ Practices that aren't ruled out (yet)
Thin custom focus outlines. Not clearly ruled out. A 1px custom outline at 3:1 passes WCAG 2.2 AA, and the WCAG 3 core requirement asks only for "sufficient" contrast and change of contrast, with no numbers yet. The size requirement is supplemental. (A focus state shown only by a change of color already fails WCAG 2.2's 1.4.1 Use of Color.) See Focus Indicator Contrast Sufficient, Focus Indicator Size Sufficient.
Low-contrast disabled controls. Still exempt. The interactive element contrast requirement excludes elements that are inactive, just as 2.2 does. See Interactive Element Contrast Sufficient.