WCAG 2.2 extends earlier Web Content Accessibility Guidelines with nine new success criteria focused on barriers that frequently affect people with cognitive, learning, motor, and visual disabilities. It became a W3C Recommendation on October 5, 2023.
The W3C’s What’s New in WCAG 2.2 explains that WCAG 2.0 and 2.1 success criteria are essentially preserved in 2.2, with one exception: 4.1.1 Parsing is obsolete and removed. Teams can therefore treat WCAG 2.2 as an evolution rather than a replacement project.
2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) — Level AA
When a keyboard user moves focus to a control, the focused component must not be entirely hidden by author-created content. Sticky headers, cookie banners, chat launchers, and drawers are common causes. Test tab navigation at different zoom levels and scroll the focused element into a visible area without covering it.
2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) — Level AAA
The enhanced criterion requires the focused component to remain fully visible. Even when AAA is not your formal target, designing overlays and sticky regions around this principle improves usability.
2.4.13 Focus Appearance — Level AAA
This criterion adds measurable size and contrast expectations for the focus indicator. Use a clear outline or equivalent indicator that remains visible against adjacent colours. Avoid removing browser focus styles unless a strong replacement is provided.
2.5.7 Dragging Movements — Level AA
Any function that uses dragging should have a single-pointer alternative unless dragging is essential. Provide buttons to reorder items, arrow controls for sliders, or a tap-to-select alternative. The goal is to support users who cannot perform precise path-based gestures.
2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) — Level AA
Pointer targets should generally be at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels or have sufficient spacing, subject to the criterion’s exceptions. Increase the interactive hit area around small icons and ensure inline links are not crowded by adjacent controls.
3.2.6 Consistent Help — Level A
When help mechanisms repeat across pages, keep them in a consistent relative order. This includes contact information, self-help options, automated contact tools, and ways to reach a person. Consistency reduces the cognitive effort required to find assistance.
3.3.7 Redundant Entry — Level A
Do not require users to re-enter information already supplied in the same process unless an exception applies. Pre-populate known values or let users select previously entered information. Review multi-step checkout, application, and onboarding flows.
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) — Level AA
Authentication should not depend on a cognitive function test, such as remembering or transcribing a password, unless an alternative or assistance mechanism is available. Support password managers and copy/paste, avoid blocking accessible credential tools, and consider passkeys or emailed sign-in links.
3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) — Level AAA
The enhanced criterion narrows the exceptions further. It is a valuable design direction for reducing authentication friction even when Level AAA is outside the project scope.
A practical WCAG 2.2 adoption plan
Add the new Level A and AA criteria to design-system acceptance tests. Audit sticky content, drag interactions, target spacing, support placement, repeated form entry, and sign-in flows. Update automated rules where coverage exists, but retain manual keyboard, zoom, mobile, and assistive-technology testing.
Ontario’s current legal website baseline remains WCAG 2.0 Level AA for covered organizations, with specified exceptions. Adopting WCAG 2.2 Level AA is a practical forward-looking target, not a claim that every jurisdiction has incorporated 2.2 into law. Use the authoritative WCAG 2.2 specification for conformance decisions.