Shopify Accessibility Conformance Report WCAG Edition

(Based on VPAT® Version 2.5Rev)
Name of Product/Version Shopify Checkout
Product Description The process of which Buyers may finalize purchasing of a product from a Shopify Merchant.

The Checkout process includes:

  • Collection of personal information
  • Determining the Shipping method and cost
  • Collection of payment information including credit card data
  • Confirmation and validation of provided data
  • Estimating and providing shipment details/timeline of arrival
Report Date June 2025
Contact Information accessibility@shopify.com
Notes
  • Remediation is on-going with issue tickets yet to be addressed, noted within the Remarks and Explanations sections.
  • Usability test sessions are completed quarterly.
  • WCAG Level AAA is not supported, thus this table has been omitted from the report.
  • The previous release of this document was published April 2023.
Evaluation Methods Used

Assessment is completed using a combination of manual and automated accessibility testing tools.

Automated testing is conducted daily using advanced AI tooling. Tests are run on each code change and on code merge with the production code base.

Manual tests are completed annually by working through Shopify’s Accessibility Assessment Checklist. This list includes items reflecting the latest WCAG standards.

Usability test sessions with people with disabilities are conducted quarterly, contracted out to third-party organizations who specialize in this space.

Applicable Standards/Guidelines

This report covers the degree of conformance for the following accessibility standard/guidelines:

Standard/Guideline Included In Report
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
  • Level A (Yes)
  • Level AA (Yes)
  • Level AAA (No)
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1
  • Level A (Yes)
  • Level AA (Yes)
  • Level AAA (No)
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2
  • Level A (Yes)
  • Level AA (Yes)
  • Level AAA (No)

Terms

The terms used in the Conformance Level information are defined as follows:

  • Supports: The functionality of the product has at least one method that meets the criterion without known defects or meets with equivalent facilitation.
  • Partially Supports: Some functionality of the product does not meet the criterion.
  • Does Not Support: The majority of product functionality does not meet the criterion.
  • Not Applicable: The criterion is not relevant to the product.
  • Not Evaluated: The product has not been evaluated against the criterion. This can be used only in WCAG Level AAA criteria.

WCAG 2.x Report

Table 1: Success Criteria, Level A

Criteria Conformance Level Remarks and Explanations
1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A) Supports

All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose.

1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) (Level A) Supports Audio or video content capability is not present.
1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) (Level A) Supports Video content capability is not present.
1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) (Level A) Supports Audio content capability is not present.
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A) Partially Supports
  1. Vaulted section control may feature an overly verbose label.
  2. PayPal/Venmo/Amazon Pay supplied controls may generate barriers to access
  3. Some clickable components remain screen reader discoverable when set as inert
  4. Pickup Point opening hours content may provide a confusing layout
  5. Pickup Point map custom numbered points may be missing labels
1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (Level A) Partially Supports
  1. Sidebar (order summary/discount) content is positioned after the footer content in the document.
  2. Address suggestion container unreachable by virtual cursor
1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics (Level A) Supports Understanding and operating content does not rely solely on sensory characteristics of components.
1.4.1 Use of Color (Level A) Supports Color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information.
1.4.2 Audio Control (Level A) Supports Audio content capability is not present.
2.1.1 Keyboard (Level A) Partially Supports
  1. Some clickable components remain screen reader discoverable when set as inert
  2. Pickup Point Tabs missing “roving tabindex” concept, causing additional tabbing
2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap (Level A) Supports Keyboard trapping does not take place anywhere other than required (modal windows).
2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Supports Character key shortcuts are not present.
2.2.1 Timing Adjustable (Level A) Supports Timeout content capability is not present.
2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide (Level A) Supports Blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating content capability is not present.
2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold (Level A) Supports Flashing content capability is not present.
2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (Level A) Supports A single “Skip to content” link is provided at the top of each page.
2.4.2 Page Titled (Level A) Supports Unique page titles are supplied by default.
2.4.3 Focus Order (Level A) Partially Supports
  1. Primary CTA (Call To Action) and “Return” control focus order does not match visual order. (Three-page checkout only.)
  2. Address autocomplete suggestions may be difficult to reach via screen reader virtual cursor.
  3. Interstitial loading screen message content does not receive focus to convey status.
  4. Modal windows do not place focus inside the dialog context.
  5. Some alert banners do not receive focus.
  6. Pickup Point address search does not manage focus.
2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A) Supports The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text.
2.5.1 Pointer Gestures (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Supports Path based gesture content capability is not present.
2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Partially Supports
  1. Some custom keyboard functionality uses the keydown event.
2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Supports Controls, text links, and icon-only controls feature accessible names which match the visual portion.
2.5.4 Motion Actuation (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Supports Motion dependent content capability is not present.
3.1.1 Language of Page (Level A) Supports Default page language (English) is supplied in the head section meta element.
3.2.1 On Focus (Level A) Supports Component focus state does not initiate a change of context.
3.2.2 On Input (Level A) Partially Supports
  1. On the Customer Information form, if a returning customer’s Email address is recognized, a modal context is presented, switching context from the input to the modal window automatically.
3.2.6 Consistent Help (Level A 2.2 only) Supports Help mechanisms occur in the same order relative to other page content.
3.3.1 Error Identification (Level A) Partially Supports
  1. Some error messaging may not be immediately brought to the user’s attention.
  2. Credit card error banners may not receive focus.
3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (Level A) Supports Labels and instructions are provided when content requires user input.
3.3.7 Redundant Entry (Level A 2.2 only) Supports Information previously entered by the user that is required to be entered again is auto-populated, or is deemed essential for re-entry.
4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A) Partially Supports
  1. Screen readers may skip visually hidden content within table markup.
  2. Google Pay button element is missing an accessible name
  3. Pickup Point Previous/Next button labels are reversed
  4. PayPal/Venmo/Amazon Pay supplied controls may generate barriers to access

Table 2: Success Criteria, Level AA

Criteria Conformance Level Remarks and Explanations
1.2.4 Captions (Live) (Level AA) Supports Video content capability is not present.
1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) (Level AA) Supports Audio content capability is not present.
1.3.4 Orientation (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Supports Content may be consumed from any orientation available.
1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Supports Input controls feature appropriate autocomplete values to aid in user agent supplied data.
1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA) Partially Supports
  1. Some text and labels may feature insufficient contrast.
1.4.4 Resize text (Level AA) Supports Text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionality.
1.4.5 Images of Text (Level AA) Supports No images are used to supply text content by default.
1.4.10 Reflow (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Supports Layout does not require 2D scrolling by default. Content is consumable at any viewport size and reflows as required.
1.4.11 Non-text Contrast (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Partially Supports
  1. Input borders feature insufficient contrast.
  2. Focus rings may feature insufficient contrast.
1.4.12 Text Spacing (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Supports No loss to readability, content, or functionality when adjusting text spacing.
1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Supports Pointer hover or keyboard focus content triggers persistent content on hover and is dismissible.
2.4.5 Multiple Ways (Level AA) Supports Breadcrumb navigation is made available throughout the Checkout process. (Three-page checkout only.)
2.4.6 Headings and Labels (Level AA) Partially Supports
  1. Pickup Point content missing heading structure.
2.4.7 Focus Visible (Level AA) Partially Supports
  1. Focus rings may be inconsistent, difficult to see, or non-existent (invisible for some High Contrast themes).
2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (Level AA 2.2 only) Supports When a user interface component receives keyboard focus, the component is not entirely hidden due to author-created content.
2.5.7 Dragging Movements (Level AA 2.2 only) Supports Dragging movement functionality is not present.
2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) (Level AA 2.2 only) Supports The target size for pointer inputs meets the minimum requirement.
3.1.2 Language of Parts (Level AA) Supports User interface uses standard language and terminology by default.
3.2.3 Consistent Navigation (Level AA) Supports User interface provides two standard, consistent navigation areas by default.
3.2.4 Consistent Identification (Level AA) Supports Components feature consistent, semantic, and navigable interfaces by default.
3.3.3 Error Suggestion (Level AA) Supports Input error suggestions are visually and programatically shared with the user post form submission.
3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) (Level AA) Supports Data is reversible, programatically verified upon form submission, and can be reviewed before final submission takes place.
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (Level AA 2.2 only) Supports Cognitive function tests may be required at times. However, tests include another authentication method that does not rely on a cognitive function test, or, a mechanism is available to assist the user in completing the cognitive function test.
4.1.3 Status Messages (Level A 2.1 and 2.2) Partially Supports
  1. Visually hidden status message text may be discoverable out of context.
  2. Pickup Point total points text updates are not announced.

This VPAT is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The purpose of this VPAT is to assist Shopify merchants in making preliminary assessments regarding the features that support accessibility in Shopify Checkout, based on our own understanding of the WCAG standards. Shopify makes no warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, in or about this VPAT, and Shopify specifically disclaims any liability with respect to this VPAT. Shopify cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information, which may be changed without prior notice. Merchants are responsible for assessing and ensuring that their online store is compliant with any applicable laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the European Accessibility Act (EAA).