WCAG 2.2 March 2023 Draft Update

Published: March 25, 2023 Tags: Accessibility Tips

The WCAG 2.2 March draft update includes:

1 success criterion marked as obsolete and removed (4.1.1 Parsing)
9 additional success criteria

4.1.1 Parsing

W3C has marked Success Criterion 4.1.1 Parsing as obsolete and removed.

“Assistive Technology no longer has any need to directly parse HTML and, consequently, these problems no longer exists. Accessibility errors failed by this criterion also fail other criteria. This criterion no longer has utility and is removed.” – WCAG

New Level A Success Criteria

3.2.6 Consistent Help
3.3.7 Redundant Entry

3.2.6 Consistent Help

The new 3.2.6 Consistent Help success criterion aims to help users identify help/support features on multiple web pages by placing them in the same order relative to other page content.

“If a web page contains any of the following help mechanisms, and those mechanisms are repeated on multiple web pages within a set of web pages, they occur in the same relative order to other page content, unless a change is initiated by the user:

Human contact details
Human contact mechanism
Self-help option
A fully automated contact mechanism.” – WCAG

3.3.7 Redundant Entry

The new 3.3.7 Redundant Entry success criterion aims to help users avoid or reduce the amount of times they need to add redundant information via inputs auto-populating or making an option available to select the same previously entered information.

“Information previously entered by or provided to the user that is required to be entered again in the same process is either: auto-populated, or available for the user to select. Except when:

re-entering the information is essential
the information is required to ensure the security of the content
previously entered information is no longer valid.” – WCAG

New Level AA Success Criteria

2.4.11 Focus Appearance
2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)
2.5.7 Dragging Movements
2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication

2.4.11 Focus Appearance

The new 2.4.11 Focus Appearance success criterion aims to help users find keyboard focus on a page via specific color contrast, focus indicator thickness, and element bounding requirements.

“When the keyboard focus indicator is visible, one or both of the following are true:

The entire focus indicator meets all the following:
- encloses the user interface component or sub-component that is focused, and
- has a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 between the same pixels in the focused and unfocused states, and
- has a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 against adjacent non-focus-indicator colors.
An area of the focus indicator meets all the following:
- is at least as large as the area of a 1 CSS pixel thick perimeter of the unfocused component or sub-component, or is at least as large as a 4 CSS pixel thick line along the shortest side of the minimum bounding box of the unfocused component or sub-component, and
- has a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 between the same pixels in the focused and unfocused states, and
- has a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 against adjacent non-focus-indicator colors, or is no thinner than 2 CSS pixels.

Exceptions:

The focus indicator is determined by the user agent and cannot be adjusted by the author, or
The focus indicator and the indicator’s background color are not modified by the author.” – WCAG

2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)

The new 2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) success criterion requires only that part of the focus should be visible.

“When a user interface component receives keyboard focus, the component is not entirely hidden due to author-created content.” – WCAG

2.5.7 Dragging Movements

The new 2.5.7 Dragging Movements success criterion requires all functionality that uses dragging movements should be available via a single pointer input.

“All functionality that uses a dragging movement for operation can be achieved by a single pointer without dragging, unless dragging is essential or the functionality is determined by the user agent and not modified by the author.” – WCAG

2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)

The new 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) success criterion includes a new target size minimum of 24 pixels by 24 pixels.

“The size of the target for pointer inputs is at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels, except where:

Spacing: The target does not overlap any other target and has a target offset of at least 24 CSS pixels to every adjacent target;
Equivalent: The function can be achieved through a different control on the same page that meets this criterion;
Inline: The target is in a sentence, or is in a bulleted or numbered list, or its size is otherwise constrained by the line-height of non-target text;
User agent control: The size of the target is determined by the user agent and is not modified by the author;
Essential: A particular presentation of the target is essential or is legally required for the information being conveyed.” – WCAG

3.3.8 Accessible Authentication

The new 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication success criterion prohibits using cognitive test requirements for any step in an authentication process.

Exceptions include having an alternative authentication method, using a mechanism to assist in completing a cognitive test, using an object recognition test, and identifying user-provided non-text content as a cognitive test.

“A cognitive function test (such as remembering a password or solving a puzzle) is not required for any step in an authentication process unless that step provides at least one of the following:

Alternative: Another authentication method that does not rely on a cognitive function test.
Mechanism: A mechanism is available to assist the user in completing the cognitive function test.
Object Recognition: The cognitive function test is to recognize objects.
Personal Content: The cognitive function test is to identify non-text content the user provided to the website.” – WCAG

New Level AAA Success Criteria

2.4.13 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced)
3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)

2.4.13 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced)

The new 2.4.13 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) success criterion requires that all of the keyboard focus is visible.

“When a user interface component receives keyboard focus, no part of the component is hidden by author-created content.” – WCAG

3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)

The new 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) success criterion is the same as the 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication, except it removed two allowed exceptions.

Now, exceptions include having an alternative authentication method and using a mechanism to assist in completing a cognitive test.