Accessibility TestingReference
WCAG Levels and Versions
Plain-English reference to the WCAG versions and levels TestKase supports.
WCAG Levels and Versions
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is the standard maintained by the W3C. TestKase supports every combination of WCAG version (2.0 / 2.1 / 2.2) and level (A / AA / AAA).
Versions
| Version | Published | What it added |
|---|---|---|
| WCAG 2.0 | 2008 | The original baseline — text alternatives, contrast, keyboard access. |
| WCAG 2.1 | 2018 | Mobile, low-vision, cognitive disabilities. Adds criteria for reflow, zoom, pointer gestures. |
| WCAG 2.2 | 2023 | Focus appearance, drag movements, target size, consistent help. Superset of 2.1. |
Each version is a superset of the previous one — every 2.1 criterion is still in 2.2, plus 2.2's new items.
Levels
| Level | Rough meaning | Typical target |
|---|---|---|
| A | Minimum accessibility | Baseline, rarely a sufficient compliance target alone |
| AA | Mid-range, most common target | Corporate, SaaS, e-commerce |
| AAA | Highest bar | Government, healthcare, education (full AAA is rarely practical for all content) |
Levels are cumulative: a Level AA scan includes every Level A criterion plus the AA-only ones.
The TestKase dropdown
Scan Settings lets you pick any combination:
| Value | Label |
|---|---|
wcag22aaa | WCAG 2.2 AAA |
wcag22aa | WCAG 2.2 AA |
wcag22a | WCAG 2.2 A |
wcag21aaa | WCAG 2.1 AAA |
wcag21aa | WCAG 2.1 AA (Recommended) |
wcag21a | WCAG 2.1 A |
wcag2aaa | WCAG 2.0 AAA |
wcag2aa | WCAG 2.0 AA |
wcag2a | WCAG 2.0 A |
Which one should I pick?
- Most teams —
wcag21aa. It's the common compliance target and the broadest test-for-your-effort sweet spot. - Government / public sector — check the regulation you're subject to; many reference WCAG 2.1 AA as the floor, some now reference 2.2.
- Modern corporate standard —
wcag22aais becoming the new default as organizations update their standards. - Accessibility programs with dedicated teams —
wcag22aaafor the ceiling, with documented exceptions for criteria that don't apply to your content.