Check Your Website For Accessibility – Here's How In 15 Minutes
Our voluntary accessibility statement is online – but theory isn’t enough. In this guide, we show you how you can test whether your website is accessible to everyone (without special software).
The whole process takes less than 15 minutes and provides you with an immediate to-do list.
1 | 5-Minute Check With Online Tools
| Tool | What is being checked? | Link |
| WAVE | Structure, alternative text, ARIA roles, contrast | wave.webaim.org |
| Lighthouse (Chrome) | WCAG score (0–100), performance & PWA | Chrome DevTools → Reiter „Lighthouse“ |
| EXPERTE.de-Accessibility-Check | Heading hierarchy, contrast, forms | experte.de/barrierefreiheit |
| Aktion-Mensch-Check-List | Manual WCAG checkpoints as PDF | aktion-mensch.de/digital |
Tip: Start with WAVE – the highlighting in the browser shows you where alt text or contrast is missing in seconds.
2 | Reality Check With a Screen Reader (≈ 5 Min.)
2. Use H to jump through the headings.
3. Listen to see if buttons and links are named appropriately (no “link 123”).
4. CapsLock + M reads the focus position.
5. Windows + Ctrl + Enter exits Narrator.
Mac shortcut: Cmd + F5 starts/stops VoiceOver.
3 | Test Keyboard Navigation (≈ 5 min.)
• Shift + Tab backward → Does every step work?
• Enter / Space → Does every button trigger something?
• Esc → Does it close modal dialogs?
If the visible focus (focus ring) is missing, keyboard navigation is technically possible but practically unusable.
4 | Common Stumbling Blocks And Quick Fixes
1. Skip links are missing
Screen readers and keyboard users need a jump mark to the main content.
💡 Insert <a href="#main" class="skip-link">Zum Inhalt</a> at the top of the page.
2. Placeholder alt text
“image123.jpg” does not say anything about the image.
💡 Replace with: alt="Blaues Balkendiagramm Umsatz 2024"
3. Contrast near-limit case
Blue (#1B3A6B) on white is only WCAG AA at 14px – not AAA.
💡 Either adjust the color (#143260) or increase the text size to at least 18px.
4. Empty buttons or links
Example: <button><i class="icon"></i></button> is not accessible.
💡 Add: aria-label="Menü öffnen"
5. Focus not visible
CSS: outline: none; prevents keyboard focus.
💡 Better: :focus { outline: 2px solid #1B3A6B; }
| Problem | Explanation | Quick fix |
| Skip links missing | Skip button “Skip to content” for screen readers and keyboard | <a href=”#main” class=”skip-link”>Skip to content</a> at page top |
| Placeholder alt text | “image123.jpg” reveals nothing | Meaningful: alt=”Blue bar chart showing sales in 2024″ |
| Contrast near-limit case | Blue #1B3A6B on white: at 14 px text only WCAG AA, not AAA | Variant #143260 or text size ≥ 18 px |
| Empty buttons/links | <button><i class=”icon”></i></button> | aria-label=add “open menu” |
| Focus not visible | outline: none; in CSS | Reactivate focus style: :focus { outline: 2px solid #1B3A6B; } |
5 | Do I Need Professional Help?
Not every website needs an official accessibility audit – but almost every website can benefit from one.
When Is A Professional Audit Mandatory?
- Banks and insurance companies
- Online shops & e-commerce platforms
- E-book providers
- Companies with digital customer interfaces, e.g., login areas or ticket systems
When Is An Audit Still Useful?
- Many smaller websites accidentally fail to meet important WCAG criteria – or fail to notice simple hurdles
- Usability for all means greater reach, longer visits, and less frustration – even for people without disabilities
- Accessibility has a positive effect on SEO (e.g., through better structure, clear labels, and optimized loading times)
CONCLUSION
7 | FAQ – Quick Answers
Do I have to offer audio description?
Does a color scheme alone comply with WCAG?
How much does a WCAG audit cost?
TL;DR – Short Version For Those In A Hurry
⏱️ Check if your website is accessible in 15 minutes:
Online tools check alt texts, structure, and contrast – e.g. WAVE or Lighthouse
Screen reader test: With Narrator (Windows) or VoiceOver (Mac), you can hear what visually impaired users experience
Keyboard navigation: Tab, Shift + Tab, and Enter – can you get everywhere? Is the focus visible?
Typical hurdles and fixes: Skip links, contrasts, empty buttons, hidden focus
Audit necessary? Only if required by law – but every obstacle removed improves the user experience
💡 Bonus: Ready for the next step? Then take a look here:
Why automatic subtitles contain up to 15% errors – the risk of auto-UT
Who will be required by law to provide subtitles from 2025 – subtitle requirements explained
How good subtitles are actually created – professional subtitling and transcription by smartspokes
Want More Tips and Tricks?
We regularly upload short videos with tips and tricks on topics such as e-learning and translation to our YouTube page. We invite you to browse through our content. You might discover a few videos that are helpful to you!
TRANSLATION
“Made in Germany” from Baden-Württemberg stands for quality worldwide, and we are committed to upholding this reputation. A high-quality translation should be easy to read, easy to understand, and indistinguishable from an original text in the target language. That is our standard.
