WCAG 2.2: What's New and What It Means

What Is WCAG 2.2?

WCAG 2.2 is the current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published by the W3C in October 2023. It builds on WCAG 2.1 by adding 9 new success criteria focused primarily on cognitive accessibility and mobile usability. All WCAG 2.0 and 2.1 success criteria are included in WCAG 2.2 — it's backward compatible. Meeting WCAG 2.2 AA means you automatically meet WCAG 2.1 AA and 2.0 AA.

What's New in WCAG 2.2

WCAG 2.2 adds 9 new success criteria: Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) — focused elements must not be entirely hidden by sticky headers or footers. Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) — focused elements must be fully visible. Focus Appearance — focus indicators must meet minimum size and contrast requirements. Dragging Movements — actions that require dragging must have pointer alternatives. Target Size (Minimum) — interactive targets must be at least 24x24 CSS pixels. Consistent Help — help mechanisms must appear in consistent locations. Redundant Entry — forms must not require users to re-enter information provided earlier. Accessible Authentication — CAPTCHAs and authentication must not rely on cognitive tests alone. Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) — no cognitive tests in authentication at all.

WCAG 2.2 and ADA Legal Standard

US courts have primarily applied WCAG 2.1 AA in ADA website cases to date. The DOJ's 2024 rules for state and local government websites referenced WCAG 2.1 AA. As WCAG 2.2 becomes more widely adopted, it will likely become the expected standard in future litigation. For now, achieving WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is sufficient for ADA legal purposes — but implementing WCAG 2.2 improvements provides a forward-looking compliance buffer.

The Biggest Change: Focus Appearance

The new Focus Appearance criteria (2.4.11 and 2.4.12) require that focus indicators meet minimum size (at least 2 CSS pixels of outline) and contrast (3:1 against adjacent colors) requirements. This is significant because many websites that meet WCAG 2.1's visible focus requirement (2.4.7) may not meet the new minimum size and contrast specifications. Focus Appearance is the WCAG 2.2 criterion most likely to require code changes on sites that are otherwise compliant.

What WCAG 3.0 Means

WCAG 3.0 (previously called "Silver") is in development and will represent a significant restructuring of the guidelines. It will use a different conformance model and scoring system. WCAG 3.0 is not expected to be finalized for several years. For planning purposes, focus on WCAG 2.2 AA as the current best practice standard and track WCAG 3.0 development for future planning.