Developing an accessible website goes far beyond simply checking off boxes for legal or regulatory compliance. It’s about making sure that every person, regardless of ability, can comfortably interact with and understand your online content. While automated tools are excellent for quickly spotting many accessibility problems, they can only take you so far. To catch the subtler issues—the ones that can truly affect the user experience—you need the human touch.

This guide will walk you through the essentials of manual testing. By following these steps, you’ll ensure that your website meets the standards of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and provides an inclusive experience for everyone.

Why Manual Testing is Important

It might seem tempting to rely only on automated tools for accessibility testing. After all, these tools are fast, can scan entire sites in minutes, and give you neat reports listing potential issues. While that’s helpful, there’s an important piece of the puzzle they can’t fill in on their own.

Studies suggest that automated tools detect only about 30% of accessibility barriers on a website. That means a whopping 70% of potential issues can go unnoticed if you don’t involve human testers. Why does this happen? Because many aspects of accessibility are about meaning, clarity, and usability—qualities that a computer program can’t fully judge.

For example, an automated tool can tell if an image tag has “alt” text, but it can’t determine if that text accurately describes what’s in the image. A tool might confirm that you’ve included headings, but it can’t decide if those headings help users understand the structure and purpose of your page.

Manual testing allows you to catch these subtle issues. By combining automated scans with hands-on checks, you’ll create a complete approach to accessibility. This balanced method ensures that both the technical side and the real-life user experience are taken into account, leading to a more inclusive and welcoming digital environment.

What Is Included in a Manual Audit?

If you’re aiming for a website that not only checks the boxes on WCAG compliance but genuinely serves people of all abilities, a manual audit is key. The process involves a series of steps, from planning your testing scope to verifying that users can interact with your site in many different ways. Below, we’ll break down some core areas to consider in your manual testing efforts.

Developing a Testing Plan

Think of your testing plan as your roadmap. Before you begin, decide which pages, sections, and features of your site you’ll test. Maybe you’ll start with your homepage, or perhaps you’ll focus on your online store’s product pages, since that’s where most visitors end up. Consider the parts of your site that handle important tasks, like your checkout process or contact forms. These areas often matter most to users and should be top priorities.

Creating a well-structured plan helps you stay on track. As you test, keep good notes. Document where you find issues, what kind of barriers they create, and ideas for fixing them. This record will not only guide your repair work but also help you understand how your site’s accessibility improves over time.

Evaluating Keyboard Navigation

A simple yet powerful first step is to test your website using only a keyboard. Many individuals rely on a keyboard instead of a mouse because of physical or visual impairments. To do this, unplug your mouse and try navigating your site with the Tab, Shift + Tab, Enter, and arrow keys.

As you move through links, buttons, menus, and form fields, watch for a visible highlight or outline showing which element is currently selected (often called the “focus indicator”). If your focus gets “stuck” or disappears, that’s a sign of a problem. Users who depend on keyboard navigation should be able to move through your entire site easily and understand exactly where they are at all times.

If you find any trouble spots—like a pop-up menu that traps the focus—make note of it. Fixing these issues can make your site smoother and more intuitive for a wide range of visitors.

Manual Testing Compatibility with Screen Readers

Screen readers, such as NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver, help users with visual impairments navigate the web by reading page content aloud. To test compatibility, pick one of these tools and open your website. As you listen, ask yourself: Is the content announced in a clear, logical order? Do headings, links, and images make sense when read aloud?

Pay special attention to images. If an image conveys important information, its alt text should describe what’s shown and why it matters. If an image is only decorative, it should have a null alt attribute, so the screen reader will skip it. Your goal is to ensure that someone who can’t see the screen can still understand what’s there and how to interact with it.

Checking Color Contrast

Good color contrast isn’t just about making your site look nice—it’s about ensuring that everyone can read your content comfortably. People with low vision or color blindness might struggle to read text that doesn’t stand out enough from the background.

Use tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker to test your text and background color combinations. If the contrast is too low, adjust your colors until they meet the guidelines. Even a small improvement can make a big difference in how well users can read and engage with your content.

Reviewing Captions for Multimedia Content

Videos and audio clips add depth and interest to your site, but they also need to be accessible. Captions ensure that users who are deaf or hard of hearing can understand spoken content. If your videos have dialogue, instructions, or any important information, make sure they come with accurate captions that match the timing and meaning of the audio.

In some cases, you might need audio descriptions for users who can’t see the visuals. If your video shows data charts, important text, or other key details, consider adding a voice-over description to explain what’s on the screen.

Ensuring Accessible Forms

Forms are essential parts of many websites, whether they’re for signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or submitting a support request. Yet forms often pose accessibility challenges when they’re not labeled or organized correctly.

To test form accessibility, try navigating your forms using a keyboard and a screen reader. Do form fields have clear labels that the screen reader announces as you move through them? When errors occur, do the error messages explain the problem in simple terms and guide the user to fix it?

Paying extra attention to forms can go a long way toward making your site welcoming and easy to use.

Testing Skip Navigation Links

Skip navigation links are small but mighty features. They let users skip over repetitive elements—such as large navigation menus—and jump straight to the main content. This is especially helpful for those who rely on a keyboard or a screen reader, as it saves them from having to tab through the same menu items over and over.

To check for skip navigation links, start navigating your site from the top. See if there’s a “Skip to main content” link or something similar. If it’s missing, adding one can make browsing much more efficient for many users.

Verifying Link Text

Have you ever seen a link that just says “click here”? Without surrounding context, that’s not very helpful. People using screen readers often scan links out of their context, so vague link text can be confusing.

Review all the links on your site and ask yourself: Does the text describe the link’s purpose? For example, “Click here for our latest report” is less helpful than “Download our latest report.” The latter tells users exactly what they’ll get if they follow that link.

Reviewing Dynamic Content

Modern websites often feature dynamic elements like pop-ups, slideshows, or modal windows. While these can be visually appealing and helpful, they can also cause confusion if not set up properly. For instance, a modal window might appear over the rest of the content, but if a screen reader user isn’t informed that it popped up, they might continue reading the content behind it without knowing there’s something else to consider.

Test these features by opening them with a keyboard and listening with a screen reader. Make sure the screen reader announces the new content and that it’s easy to close the pop-up and return to the main page content. Users should feel in control of their experience at all times.

Documenting Issues and Prioritizing Fixes

As you work through manual testing, keep detailed notes. Write down any issues you find, along with the steps you’ll need to correct them. Consider how severe each problem is: Does it block users from completing critical tasks, or is it a minor inconvenience?

By sorting issues into categories—such as “high priority” or “low priority”—you can tackle the most urgent problems first. This approach helps you make steady progress and ensures that you address the biggest barriers right away.

Building a More Inclusive Website with 216digital

Manual testing might feel like a big job, but it’s a crucial part of creating a web experience that works for everyone. By planning your testing, checking keyboard navigation, using screen readers, ensuring proper color contrast, reviewing captions, making forms accessible, adding skip links, refining link text, and handling dynamic content correctly, you’ll identify and fix the issues that really matter.

When your website meets WCAG guidelines and is comfortable to use for people of all abilities, you strengthen your brand’s reputation and reach a wider audience. It’s not just about avoiding legal risks or ticking compliance boxes—though that’s important, too. It’s about showing that you value every visitor and believe they deserve equal access to your information, products, and services.

If you’re looking for personalized help in making your website ADA compliant, consider reaching out to 216digital. Our experts can provide an ADA briefing and guide you through the finer points of web accessibility, ensuring that you create an inclusive, user-friendly online environment that supports everyone who visits your site.