Shopify store accessibility audit: what an automated check can and can't find

By AbleAisle. Updated 28 October 2026.

If you search for a Shopify accessibility audit you'll find two very different things: quick automated scans that return a list of issues in a minute, and full audits where a person tests your store with a keyboard and assistive technology. They answer different questions. This guide explains what an automated check can and can't find, and how to combine it with manual testing so you know what to fix first.

What an automated check does

An automated check loads a page, reads its code and the rendered result, and tests it against a set of rules based on WCAG, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Popular open-source engines such as axe-core power many free tools and apps, and browser audits such as Lighthouse use similar rules. They are fast, repeatable and cheap, which makes them very good for finding the same problem across many pages.

What automated checks can usually find

These problems are mechanical, so a tool can detect them reliably:

• Images with no alt attribute at all (1.1.1 Non-text Content).
• Text with low colour contrast against a solid background (1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)).
• Form fields with no label and buttons or links with no name, such as an icon-only cart button (4.1.2 Name, Role, Value).
• A missing page language or page title (3.1.1 Language of Page).
• Heading levels that skip, such as an h1 followed directly by an h4.
• Incorrect ARIA attributes, duplicate IDs that break label connections, and zoom that has been disabled in the page's viewport settings.

For a Shopify store this is useful because the same theme template produces hundreds of product pages. One fix in the theme or one batch of alt text can clear the same finding everywhere.

What automated checks can't find

This is the part many store owners miss. A page can have no automated findings and still be difficult or impossible to use. Tools cannot reliably judge:

• Whether alt text is good. A tool can see that alt="image123.jpg" exists, but not that it is useless. It can't tell whether "Blue dress" describes what matters to a shopper. Our alt text guide covers how to write helpful descriptions.
• Whether the keyboard experience works. A script can't easily tell if your mega menu opens with the keyboard, if a pop-up traps focus, or if the focus indicator is visible enough (2.1.1 Keyboard, 2.4.7 Focus Visible).
• Whether the order and structure make sense. A tool checks that headings exist, not that they describe their sections or that the reading order matches the visual order.
• Contrast over images and gradients. Text on a photo banner changes colour across the image, and many tools can't calculate it.
• Whether link text and instructions are clear. "Learn more" passes a code check but is poor for someone hearing a list of links.
• Captions, transcripts and video content. A tool can see a video element, but not whether the captions are accurate.
• Real screen reader behaviour. Code can look valid and still be confusing or noisy when read aloud.
• Cognitive and usability barriers, such as confusing checkout steps, time limits, or content that is hard to understand.

Because of this, an automated scan should never be treated as a pass mark. A score of 100 in a browser audit means the automated rules found nothing, not that every person can use your store. No tool, including ours, can promise that a store meets every accessibility requirement or law.

A simple audit you can run on your own store

Here's a practical routine for a small Shopify store. It takes an afternoon the first time.

1. Pick your key pages. Home, a collection, two or three product pages (include one with variants and one with a gallery), search results, the cart, the contact page, login and account pages, and a policy page. Different templates behave differently.
2. Run an automated check on each. Use a free tool such as the axe browser extension, WAVE or Lighthouse, or run our free Quick check on your home page. Write down each finding and the page it appeared on.
3. Test with the keyboard. Go through the same pages using only Tab, Shift + Tab, Enter, Space and Esc. Note anything you can't reach, can't see or can't close.
4. Zoom and resize. Zoom the browser to 200% and look at the page on a narrow window. Text should stay readable and the page shouldn't need sideways scrolling to read it (1.4.4 Resize Text, 1.4.10 Reflow).
5. Listen to the page. Try a screen reader for a few minutes on a product page: VoiceOver is built into Mac and iPhone, TalkBack into Android, and NVDA is a free option for Windows. You won't become an expert, but you'll quickly hear unlabeled buttons and confusing links.
6. Walk through a purchase. Add something to the cart and go as far through checkout as you can, keyboard only, noting any forms that give unclear errors.
7. Record and prioritise. Put each issue in a list with the page, what happens and who it affects. Fix the problems that stop someone from browsing, adding to cart or paying first, then the rest.
8. Fix, re-test, and repeat. Re-run the same checks after each change, and again after a theme update, a new app or a redesign.

For the checks themselves our Shopify accessibility checklist lists 24 things to look at, and the guide on checking and improving your theme covers the theme editor steps.

When to involve a professional

If your store has complex custom code, you've had a customer complaint or a legal question, or you simply want an expert view, a specialist who tests with assistive technology can find what tools miss. Ask them what they test, which WCAG version and level they use, and whether they re-test after fixes. Be cautious of anyone who promises a perfect result from a scan alone. For law-related questions, such as the European Accessibility Act, speak to a legal adviser.

Where AbleAisle fits

AbleAisle's free Quick check is an automated check of your store's home page, with plain-English explanations of what it found. The AbleAisle app, coming soon to the Shopify App Store, extends that to your key pages with fix steps and bulk alt text suggestions that you approve. Both are a first pass that helps you find mechanical issues quickly. They are not a replacement for the manual steps above.

Frequently asked questions

How much of accessibility can a tool test?

Only part of it. Tools are strong on mechanical rules and weak on anything that needs human judgement. Treat results as a starting list, not a verdict.

Is a high Lighthouse accessibility score enough?

No. A high score means the automated rules it runs found no failures on that page. It doesn't test most keyboard, screen reader and content-quality issues.

Which pages should I test first?

The ones customers use to buy: home, collections, product pages, cart and checkout. Then search, contact and account pages.

How often should I run an audit?

After any change to your theme, apps or main content, and at least a couple of times a year. Automated checks are quick enough to repeat often.