Common Accessibility Issues in Web Apps (And How to Fix Them)

#a11y #webdev #frontend #uxdesign

When was the last time you tested your web app with a keyboard only? Or ran a screen reader to check if your UI made any sense without visuals?

Most developers don’t realize they’re unintentionally building digital barriers that shut out millions of users — and that means you're also shutting down your growth, conversions, and brand reputation.

Let’s fix that. 👇

🔍 1. Missing Alternative Text for Images

Images without proper alt text are useless for screen readers.

This is one of the most common accessibility violations and also the easiest to fix.

✅ Fix it:

<!-- Bad -->
<img src="product.jpg">

<!-- Good -->
<img src="product.jpg" alt="Black leather office chair with armrests">

💡 How to write good alt text (W3C)

⌨️ 2. Keyboard Navigation Isn't Working Properly

Can your users tab through your site smoothly? If not, you're locking out users who rely on keyboards or assistive technologies.

✅ Fix it:

Ensure all interactive elements (like buttons, links, modals) are focusable.
Use :focus-visible to style elements clearly during tab navigation.
Avoid using elements that hijack keyboard events.

button:focus-visible {
  outline: 2px solid #4f46e5;
  outline-offset: 2px;
}

🚀 Bonus tool: WebAIM's Keyboard Accessibility Checklist

🧩 3. Low Color Contrast

If users can’t read your text, it doesn’t matter how “on-brand” your colors are.

✅ Fix it:

Aim for a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 between text and background.
Use tools like Contrast Checker to test your colors.

/* Avoid light grey text on white backgrounds */
color: #6b7280; /* Better */

📢 4. No ARIA or Semantic Elements

If your site relies only on <div> and <span>, screen readers might struggle to understand the layout.

✅ Fix it:

Use semantic HTML5 tags like <nav>, <main>, <header>, <footer>, etc.
Where needed, add ARIA roles like role="dialog" or aria-live="polite".

🧠 Learn more: MDN Web Docs - ARIA roles

📱 5. Not Responsive or Zoom-Friendly

Accessibility is not just about screen readers — it's also about layout adaptability.

✅ Fix it:

Use relative units like em, rem, % instead of px.
Ensure text and layout don’t break when zoomed to 200%.

html {
  font-size: 100%; /* respect user settings */
}

🧪 Responsive Design Principles - Google Developers

🔊 6. No Focus Traps in Modals

Ever opened a modal and couldn’t escape it with the keyboard? That’s a focus trap failure.

✅ Fix it:
Use libraries like Focus Trap or manage focus manually when opening/closing modals.

modal.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
  if (e.key === 'Tab') {
    // handle focus wrap logic
  }
});

✅ 7. No Accessible Form Labels

Placeholder text ≠ label. Screen readers skip placeholders, and that’s a problem.

✅ Fix it:


html
<!-- Bad -->
<input type="email" placeholder="Your email">

<!-- Good -->
<label for="email">Email Address</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email">


## 📣 Final Thought: Accessibility is Not Optional

Web accessibility isn’t just a “nice to have” — it’s a **requirement** that improves usability for *everyone*. 


You don’t have to be an expert overnight, but you do have to start somewhere.

Every improvement makes a difference. Every inclusive line of code counts.

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Let’s build better, together. 💙

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#accessibility #webdevelopment #frontend #uxdesign #seo #javascript #reactjs #a11y #html #css #techcommunity #devto #inclusiveweb #dcttechnology