CMS

WCAG accessibility audit for WordPress

Why WordPress causes accessibility issues

WordPress powers over 43% of the web, but this popularity masks a major problem: the vast majority of themes and plugins do not meet WCAG accessibility criteria. Page builders like Elementor or Divi generate layers of nested divs without any HTML semantics. Images uploaded by contributors arrive without alt attributes. Headings h1 to h6 are used for style rather than logical document structure. Sliders and carousels, ubiquitous on WordPress sites, are rarely keyboard navigable. Contact Form 7 or WPForms forms lack programmatic labels. Each plugin adds its own code, often without any consideration for assistive technologies. The result: a visually attractive site but unusable for millions of people with disabilities. With the enforcement of the European Accessibility Act, these shortcomings expose WordPress site owners to financial penalties of up to 50,000 euros.

Common issues on WordPress

Themes and page builders generating non-semantic HTML

WCAG 1.3.1

Elementor, Divi, WPBakery, and Oxygen generate dozens of nested divs without semantic tags (nav, main, aside, article). Screen readers cannot identify page regions. Navigation by landmarks is impossible, forcing users to linearly traverse all content.

Images without alt attribute or with generic alt

WCAG 1.1.1

WordPress allows uploading images without filling in the alternative text. Contributors leave the field empty or use the filename (IMG_2847.jpg). Decorative images are not marked with empty alt. Screen readers announce the filename or nothing at all, depriving blind users of essential information.

Inconsistent heading hierarchy

WCAG 1.3.1

WordPress themes use h1 to h6 tags for design rather than content structure. You find h3 before h2, multiple h1 on the same page, or skipped levels (h1 then h4). Sidebar widgets add extra headings that break the hierarchy. Screen readers use this hierarchy to navigate: an incorrect structure completely disorients the user.

Sliders and carousels without keyboard navigation

WCAG 2.1.1

Plugins like Revolution Slider, Slick Slider, and MetaSlider do not support standard keyboard navigation (arrows, Tab, Enter). Previous/next controls are not focusable. Active slide content is not announced via aria-live. Users who cannot use a mouse are completely excluded from this content, often placed prominently on the homepage.

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What Scrutia detects on WordPress

Scrutia analyzes the final rendering of your WordPress site as it appears in the browser, regardless of the theme or plugins used. Our engine detects nested divs without semantics generated by page builders, images without alt text, broken heading hierarchies, and interactive components that are not keyboard navigable. We test Tab navigation on sliders, menus, and modals. Each non-conformity is linked to the relevant WCAG criterion with ready-to-apply HTML/CSS/JS corrective code for your child theme.

Frequently Asked Questions — WordPress

Does Scrutia detect problems caused by WordPress page builders?

Yes. Scrutia analyzes the HTML rendered by your page builder (Elementor, Divi, WPBakery, Oxygen). We detect non-semantic structures, invalid ARIA components, and keyboard traps generated by these tools, even if the problem comes from the builder and not your content.

Can corrections be applied without modifying the theme code?

Most corrections can be applied via a WordPress child theme or a snippet plugin like Code Snippets. The report specifies the recommended application method for each correction: child theme, functions.php, additional CSS, or plugin setting.

My WordPress site uses WooCommerce, is that covered?

Yes. Scrutia tests product pages, category pages, the cart, and all public pages of your WooCommerce store. Problems specific to e-commerce (buttons without labels, inaccessible filters, dynamic notifications) are detected and corrected in the report.

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