UX design is about creating experiences that work for everyone, but not everyone interacts with digital products in the same way. Users come with different abilities, devices, and environments. That is why accessibility audits are a crucial part of the UX design process.

When we skip accessibility checks, we risk leaving users behind. But when we audit for accessibility, we catch the barriers that might stop someone from using a product with ease. From colour choices to screen reader compatibility, accessibility audits help teams design with inclusion in mind. Let’s walk through what these audits involve, why they matter, and how we can use them in our design process.

To learn more about the concept of accessibility in UX design, click here to check our introductory article.

What is an Accessibility Audit?

An accessibility audit is a detailed check of a digital product to see if it meets accessibility standards. It looks for things that might make it hard for people with disabilities to use the product. This includes people who are blind, have low vision, are deaf, have motor disabilities, or have cognitive challenges.

Audits often check your product against WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). These are global standards made by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The guidelines help teams create digital experiences that everyone can access and use.

Why are Accessibility Audits Important?

Accessibility audits are vital because they make sure that your product doesn’t leave anyone behind. While it's tempting to design for the "average user," the truth is, there is no average. Everyone interacts with technology differently, and what seems usable to one person might be completely inaccessible to another. By carrying out an audit, we identify those points of friction and find ways to remove them.

Beyond improving user experience, accessibility audits are also heavily tied to legal regulations. For example, the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which will be enforced starting June 2025, is pushing companies in the EU to comply with accessibility standards. The law will cover a wide range of industries, and non-compliance could lead to legal penalties or being barred from markets. Even outside of Europe, countries like USA, Canada, and Australia already have similar regulations in place. This shows that accessibility is not just an ethical choice, but a legal one too.

Moreover, making your product accessible can widen your reach. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in six people globally has a disability. When your product is easier to use, more people can engage with it, and that means more potential users or customers. It also strengthens your brand reputation. When people see that you care about inclusion, they’re more likely to trust your product and your company.

When Should You Run an Accessibility Audit?

While the best time to think about accessibility is at the beginning, it is crucial that you give enough attention to it all the way through your design process. Accessibility shouldn’t be a last-minute check just before launch. Instead, it should be embedded into each phase of the UX design process. During the discovery phase, for example, it's helpful to consider personas that include people with different kinds of disabilities. In the design phase, you can start applying accessibility best practices early, like using sufficient color contrast and designing for keyboard navigation.

As development kicks off, developers can follow semantic HTML and ARIA practices to ensure content is readable by screen readers. Once the product reaches the testing phase, a formal accessibility audit will help catch issues that slipped through earlier. Even after launch, accessibility audits should continue periodically. Digital products change and grow, and regular audits help make sure they remain inclusive as they evolve.

How Can You Run an Accessibility Audit?

A good accessibility audit usually starts with automated testing using tools. These tools scan your site or app and flag common issues like missing alt attributes or incorrect heading levels. While helpful, automated tools typically catch only about 30% of the issues. That’s why manual testing is equally important.

Manual testing involves using tools such as screen readers to simulate how visually impaired users navigate content. It also involves trying to use the product with just a keyboard and no mouse. This helps test focus order, skip links, and whether interactive elements can be accessed properly. Developers also need to inspect the code for proper semantic structure and use of ARIA roles when necessary.

However, the most valuable part of the audit comes from involving users with disabilities in your testing. Tools can’t always tell you if something is truly usable. Real feedback from users brings insight you can’t get any other way.

Common Issues That Audits Catch

Accessibility audits often uncover recurring issues. These include missing or inaccurate image descriptions, low text-to-background contrast, and unlabeled form fields. Sometimes, the problem lies in interactive elements like buttons or menus that don’t respond well to keyboard navigation. Others might be dynamic content updates that screen readers don’t announce.

These issues, while they might seem minor, can prevent users from reading content, submitting a form, or even navigating to the next page. Audits help uncover these roadblocks so teams can fix them and provide a smoother experience for all users.

How to Act on Audit Results

After completing the audit, the next step is to organize the findings into a clear report. Issues can be grouped by severity, helping your team prioritize fixes. High-severity issues are often those that block users from completing key tasks and should be addressed first. From there, the design, content, or code may need to be adjusted depending on the issue. Fixing the issues is just one part of the process. After making changes, it’s important to test again and confirm that the problems are truly resolved.

In today’s world, digital inclusion is more important than ever. By making accessibility audits part of the UX design process, we can create digital experiences that are more inclusive and thoughtful. If you wish to collaborate with us on building accessible digital experiences that can be loved by everyone, get in touch with us at hello@rootcode.studio.