How to Make a Wix Website Compliant with the European Accessibility Act

Wix EAA Compliance: what this guide covers

This guide explains how to bring a Wix website into alignment with the European Accessibility Act (EAA) expectations and recognised technical standards such as WCAG and EN 301 549. It gives a clear, step-by-step checklist for common Wix Editor and Wix Studio tasks, explains limits you might hit on the Wix platform, and shows how to test and publish an accessibility statement.

Quick primer: EAA, standards and what to aim for

The EAA sets accessibility requirements for certain products and services offered in the EU. To turn legal obligations into technical work, most organisations adopt the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) at Level AA and use EN 301 549 where it applies. Treat WCAG 2.x AA as your technical target: it covers text alternatives, keyboard access, contrast ratios, forms, labels and media accessibility.

Who must act (short answer)

If you sell goods or services to people in the EU, or operate digital services used by the public, the EAA may apply. This guide focuses on the practical website fixes you can make in Wix. Confirm legal obligations with counsel or your compliance team before making claims about legal compliance.

Step-by-step checklist to make a Wix site accessible

Work through these steps in order. The first steps give the largest accessibility gains with least effort.

1. Start with Wix accessibility tools

• Run any built-in Accessibility Wizard or accessibility checker in your Wix Editor or Studio. Use it to find obvious missing alt text, contrast failures and heading structure issues.
• Export the tool report and use it as your initial issues list. Do not rely solely on automated results; they miss many problems.

2. Fix structure and headings

• Use semantic headings in order: H2 then H3 etc. Avoid skipping heading levels for visual effect.
• Make the page title visible and unique per page. Headings should describe the following content concisely.

3. Images and non-text content

• Add descriptive alt text for informative images. For decorative images, mark them as decorative so screen readers ignore them.
• Avoid images of text. If you must use them, provide the same text in HTML nearby or in the image alt text.

4. Colour and contrast

• Ensure normal text contrast meets 4.5:1 and large text meets 3:1. Use a contrast checker during design and when you edit styles.
• Don’t rely on colour alone to convey information. Add visible markers or text labels.

5. Keyboard access and focus

• Test every interactive element using Tab and Shift+Tab. All menus, links, buttons and form fields must be reachable.
• Ensure a visible focus indicator is present. If focus styles are removed by the template, restore a clear outline or background change.
• Check custom widgets, popups and modals. They must trap focus while open and return focus when closed.

6. Forms and interactive controls

• All form fields need explicit labels. Place labels next to fields and never rely on placeholders as the only label.
• Provide clear inline error messages and indicate how to fix errors. Use aria-live or visible alert regions for dynamic validation messages where possible.

7. Links, buttons and navigation

• Make link text descriptive. Avoid “click here”. Each link should communicate its destination when read out of context.
• Ensure navigation is consistent across pages and that landmarks exist so assistive technology users can skip to main content.

8. Video and audio

• Provide captions for all prerecorded video and live captions where required. Supply transcripts for audio content.
• Ensure video players are keyboard operable and controls are labelled.

9. Third-party apps and embeds

Any external widget, booking tool or embedded content must be tested separately. If a third-party control is not accessible, replace it or require the vendor to provide an accessible version.

10. Publish an accessibility statement and feedback route

• Include a simple accessibility statement on your site that states the standards you aim to meet, the contact for accessibility feedback and how to report problems.
• Offer multiple contact paths such as a dedicated email and a phone number. A timely acknowledgement and remediation plan improve user trust.

Testing: automated tools and manual checks

Use automated tools to cover obvious failures. Always follow with manual testing that catches real-world barriers.

Automated checks

• Run Lighthouse or browser accessibility audits for general issues.
• Use site scanners such as WAVE or Axe to find missing alt text, label issues and common errors. These tools report but do not confirm semantic meaning.

Manual checks

• Keyboard-only navigation: confirm tab order, focus states and operability of menus, forms and carousels.
• Screen reader testing: test at least one free screen reader such as NVDA on Windows and VoiceOver on macOS or iOS to verify reading order and labels.
• Contrast and resizing: check colour contrast and ensure text reflows at 200% zoom with no loss of content or functionality.

Wix-specific limitations and practical workarounds

Wix makes many accessible tasks straightforward, but some platform limits affect fine-grained control. Expect the following common issues and use these workarounds.

Limited ARIA or low-level markup control

Wix may restrict editing raw HTML or ARIA attributes for some components. If you need custom ARIA roles or detailed semantics, consider these options:

• Use Wix Velo or custom embeds only when you can test and maintain the code. Keep custom code minimal and documented.
• Where a core Wix component lacks a feature, replace it with an accessible third-party alternative that you can control, or raise a support ticket with Wix for a platform fix.

Popups, dynamic content and focus management

Many accessibility problems appear in overlays. Test all popups and dynamic lists for proper focus trapping and keyboard dismissal. If a Wix-provided popup fails, choose a different pattern or implement a tested custom solution.

Forms created by Wix apps

Wix form apps can vary in accessibility. Always check labels, required field announcements and keyboard navigation. If an app is inaccessible, use a different app or a custom form built with accessibility in mind.

Prioritise fixes: quick wins, important fixes and technical work

Organise remediation into three levels so you can show progress quickly.

• Quick wins: add alt text, fix obvious heading order, restore focus styles, make links descriptive. These often take minutes per page.
• Important fixes: ensure keyboard access across the site, add captions/transcripts for media, fix contrast issues. These may take hours per page or component.
• Technical work: address complex widgets, make popups accessible, replace inaccessible third-party tools. These need developer time and testing.

Sample accessibility statement content (what to include)

Adapt the points below into your statement. Keep language clear and avoid legal guarantees unless verified by your compliance team.

• Which accessibility standards you are aiming to meet, for example WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
• Scope: which parts of the website are covered and which are not.
• Known limitations and planned remediation steps.
• How users can report issues and the expected response process.
• Review date or revision history for the statement.

Maintenance: keep accessibility part of your content process

• Train content editors to add alt text, write clear headings and keep link text descriptive.
• Integrate accessibility checks into your release checklist. Scan new pages and new apps before publishing.
• Schedule periodic audits and user testing with people who have disabilities to catch issues automated tools miss.

When to get expert help

If your site uses many custom widgets, has complex transactions or you must make a legal claim about EAA compliance, bring in an accessibility specialist or developer. They will run a conformance audit against WCAG and help prepare documentation for procurement or legal teams.

Practical next steps (30, 90, 180 day plan)

1. 30 days: run the Wix accessibility tools, fix alt text and headings, publish a basic accessibility statement, and patch obvious contrast issues.
2. 90 days: complete keyboard and screen reader manual checks across all pages, add captions/transcripts for key media and replace or fix any inaccessible third-party apps.
3. 180 days: complete a full WCAG AA audit, document remaining limitations, and set a remediation roadmap with owners.

Final notes

Reaching Wix EAA compliance is an ongoing programme, not a single task. Use the checklist above, prioritise fixes that help the most users, and keep testing after each content change. For legal certainty about whether the EAA applies to your services and how to state compliance, consult legal counsel or a compliance expert.