Published October 2, 2026

WCAG 2.2 conformance, W3C

Does an accessibility overlay make a website WCAG compliant?

No. WCAG conformance is a property of the web page. A toolbar, widget, or script that runs after the page loads does not meet the success criteria for text alternatives, keyboard access, names and roles, contrast, or error messages. Those criteria apply to the content a person uses.

What does WCAG count as the page?

The conformance section of WCAG 2.2 says a claim applies to a web page, or to a complete process made of several pages, such as search, account signup, or checkout. Every success criterion at the claimed level has to be true of that content. Level AA includes the Level A criteria. The text is in the W3C WCAG 2.2 Recommendation.

A script that adds a menu on top of the page is not the page. If the underlying button has no accessible name, the criterion still fails. If the form error does not identify the field, the criterion still fails. The comparison of WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 lists what each version requires.

What does the Department of Justice say about websites?

ADA.gov says the ADA covers the websites and apps of businesses open to the public and of state and local governments. The guidance is about access to the service, not about a particular product. Read the DOJ web guidance.

For state and local governments, the Title II web rule names WCAG 2.1 Level AA. It does not name an overlay. Governments of 50,000 or more have until April 26, 2027. Smaller governments and special districts have until April 26, 2028. The dates and the scope are on the Title II web rule page. Private businesses are Title III. That title does not publish a different technical shortcut.

Which failures does an overlay leave in place?

These failures are in the page source or the template. A later script does not remove them:

• Images that convey information and have no text alternative. See alt text.
• Buttons and fields with no accessible name. See accessible names.
• Controls that cannot be reached or operated from the keyboard, including focus that disappears.
• Text and meaningful controls below the contrast ratios in WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
• Form errors that do not name the field or how to correct it. See accessible forms.
• Video without captions and PDFs that are the only copy of the information. See video and PDFs.

Can an overlay conflict with a screen reader?

A person may already have chosen a screen reader, browser zoom, or operating-system contrast setting. A script that rewrites controls after the page loads can change the name, role, or focus order those tools were using. The stable fix is in the template: the name, the role, and the focus order are correct when the page is served. That work is described on the remediation page.

What should replace an overlay?

Review the templates people use to finish a task. Record the page, the WCAG success criterion, and the change in code or content. Fix the template, then run the same keyboard and screen reader checks again. An audit is that record. Rechecks after the site changes are ongoing support. A scanner score, a badge, or a widget that appears after load is not the record.