Magento Accessibility: 8 Fixes Your Store Needs Before 2026

The threat of ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) lawsuits against ecommerce businesses is escalating. With the impending EAA (Equality Act Amendments) of 2026, expected to strengthen ADA enforcement and expand its reach, Magento stores are particularly vulnerable. Many rely on complex themes and extensions, creating accessibility pitfalls that can attract legal action. This article outlines eight critical fixes you need to implement in your Magento store now to mitigate risk and create a truly inclusive online shopping experience.

Understanding the Landscape: ADA, EAA 2026 & Magento

The ADA mandates that businesses, including online retailers, provide equal access to goods and services for individuals with disabilities. The EAA 2026 is poised to broaden this scope, potentially including stricter enforcement guidelines and extending protections to more individuals. Non-compliance can lead to costly lawsuits and reputational damage. Magento, a powerful platform, also introduces its own set of accessibility challenges due to its modular architecture and extensive customization options.

"The average cost of an ADA accessibility lawsuit can easily exceed $50,000, including legal fees and remediation costs. Proactive accessibility measures are far more cost-effective in the long run."

Digital ADA refers to the application of ADA guidelines to websites and digital content. These guidelines are primarily based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the internationally recognized standard for web accessibility. The latest version, WCAG 2.2, introduces new success criteria that will be vital for compliance.

8 Critical Magento Accessibility Fixes

1. Semantic HTML Structure & ARIA Attributes

Magento themes often rely on poorly structured HTML, using <div> elements excessively instead of semantic elements like <header>, <nav>, <article>, and <footer>. This makes navigation difficult for screen reader users.

Implementation: Review your theme’s HTML structure. Replace generic <div> tags with appropriate semantic elements. Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes where semantic HTML isn't sufficient to convey meaning or functionality. For example, use aria-label to provide descriptive text for buttons and links, and aria-live to announce dynamic content updates. You can find ARIA attributes in the Magento developer documentation and W3C specifications.
Magento Specifics: When creating custom modules or blocks, ensure your HTML output adheres to semantic best practices. Utilize Magento’s layout XML files to structure content correctly.

2. Keyboard Navigation & Focus Management

Users with motor impairments often rely solely on keyboard navigation. Ensure all interactive elements (buttons, links, form fields) are reachable and operable via the keyboard.

Implementation: Test your store using only the Tab key. Verify the focus order is logical and predictable. Use CSS to style the focus state clearly. Implement skip navigation links to allow users to bypass repetitive content. Magento's default theme often needs adjustments here.
Magento Specifics: Pay close attention to custom JavaScript functionality. Ensure any custom interactions are fully keyboard accessible. Use the Magento developer console to debug keyboard navigation issues.

3. Color Contrast & Readability

Insufficient color contrast between text and background makes it difficult for users with low vision to read content. WCAG 2.2 mandates specific contrast ratios.

Implementation: Use a color contrast checker (like WebAIM’s Color Contrast Checker) to verify your theme’s color palette meets WCAG 2.2 standards. Consider providing a high-contrast theme option for users who prefer it.
Magento Specifics: Inspect the CSS files of your theme and any installed extensions. Modify color values as needed to achieve sufficient contrast. Magento’s built-in color management tools can be helpful, but often require manual adjustments.

4. Image Alt Text & Descriptive Text

Images should always have descriptive alt text that conveys their purpose and content. Missing or generic alt text renders images inaccessible to screen reader users.

Implementation: Review all images on your site and provide accurate and concise alt text. Decorative images should have empty alt attributes (alt="").
Magento Specifics: Magento's media library allows you to add alt text to images. Ensure this field is populated for every image used in product listings, category pages, and promotional banners. Consider using a plugin to automate alt text generation or suggest appropriate descriptions.

5. Form Accessibility & Error Handling

Forms are crucial for ecommerce, but often present accessibility challenges. Properly labeled form fields, clear error messages, and keyboard-accessible controls are essential.

Implementation: Use <label> elements to associate labels with form fields. Provide clear and concise error messages that are programmatically accessible (e.g., using aria-describedby). Ensure form fields are keyboard accessible and focusable.
Magento Specifics: Magento's checkout process is particularly complex. Thoroughly test all form elements, including address fields, payment information, and shipping options. Use Magento’s event observers to customize form validation and error handling to ensure accessibility.

6. Video and Audio Accessibility

Videos and audio content should be captioned and transcribed. Provide audio descriptions for videos to describe visual elements.

Implementation: Add captions and transcripts to all videos. Consider providing audio descriptions for videos with significant visual content.
Magento Specifics: Magento doesn't natively support video accessibility. You’ll likely need to integrate a third-party video platform that provides captioning and audio description features. Ensure these features are integrated seamlessly into your Magento store.

7. Dynamic Content Updates & Live Regions

Dynamic content updates (e.g., shopping cart totals, product reviews) can disorient screen reader users if not announced properly.

Implementation: Use aria-live regions to announce dynamic content updates to screen readers. Ensure the announcements are concise and informative.
Magento Specifics: Magento’s AJAX functionality can create accessibility issues. Use ARIA attributes to manage focus and announce content changes effectively. Accessio.ai can automate the detection and correction of these types of issues, ensuring that dynamic content is announced correctly without manual coding.

8. Consistent Heading Structure

A logical heading structure (H1-H6) is crucial for navigating content. Inconsistent or missing headings create confusion for screen reader users.

Implementation: Review your store's content and ensure a proper heading hierarchy is used. Use H1 tags for main page titles, H2 for section headings, and so on.
Magento Specifics: Check your theme’s layout files and custom modules to ensure consistent heading usage. Magento’s block classes often generate headings, so review their output carefully.

Key Takeaways

Proactive Compliance is Essential: Waiting until after a lawsuit is far too late.
WCAG 2.2 is the New Standard: Ensure your store aligns with the latest guidelines.
Magento’s Complexity Demands Attention: Customization often introduces accessibility barriers.
AI-Powered Tools Offer Efficiency: Solutions like Accessio.ai can significantly streamline accessibility remediation by identifying and fixing issues at the source code level.
Testing is Ongoing: Accessibility is not a one-time fix; it requires continuous monitoring and updates.

Next Steps

Accessibility Audit: Conduct a thorough accessibility audit of your Magento store using automated tools and manual testing.
Prioritize Fixes: Address the most critical accessibility issues first.
Training: Train your development team on accessibility best practices.
Regular Testing: Integrate accessibility testing into your development workflow.
Consider Expert Assistance: Engage an accessibility consultant for guidance and support.
Explore Accessio.ai: Evaluate how AI-powered accessibility solutions can automate remediation and ensure ongoing compliance.

By taking these steps, you can significantly reduce your risk of ADA lawsuits and create a more inclusive and accessible online shopping experience for all your customers.