Accessibility
· 24 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.FHeading HierarchyAction44 headings, 4 skip(s)FIX
- H5 By Phase
- H5 By Type
- H2 Your most-needed services, online
- H4 Get a benefits estimate skipped
- H4 Check eligibility
- H4 Check your status
- H4 Replace your card
- H2 Life events
- H4 Age milestones skipped
- H4 Health changes
- H4 Legal status changes
- H4 Personal information changes
- H2 Services
- H2 Popular tasks
- H4 Documents skipped
- H4 Payment
- H4 Number & card
- H4 Record
- H2 Other services
- H4 Businesses and employers skipped
- H4 Representative payees
- H4 Appointed representatives
- H4 Government services
- H4 Social Security performance
- H4 Frequently Asked Questions
- H4 View the 2026 Trustees Report
- H4 Save time with SSA’s electronic submission service!
- H4 Social Security Fairness Act
- H4 Important changes to your online account
- H4 Frequently Asked Questions
- H4 View the 2026 Trustees Report
- H4 Save time with SSA’s electronic submission service!
- H4 Social Security Fairness Act
- H4 Important changes to your online account
- H4 Frequently Asked Questions
- H3 Latest news
- H4 Social Security Board of Trustees: Projection for Combined Trust Funds Remains Consistent with Prior Year
- H4 Visit our Communications Corner
- H4 Support
- H4 Languages
- H4 Services for
- H4 Resources
- H2 Secondary Footer
- H3 (empty)
Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.
No H1 means screen-reader users can't identify the page's primary topic, and Google's content-extraction degrades.
Learn more ▾ ▴
The H1 is the document title for assistive tech and a strong signal to search engines about page topic. Pages without one force screen readers to fall back to the <title> attribute or page chrome. Add a single H1 that names the page's primary subject.
Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.
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Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI
Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.
Empty <hN> tags break the document outline — screen-reader users navigating by heading hit dead silence.
Source: WCAG 2.4.6
DLink & Button QualityAction9 issue(s) across 124 links and 18 buttonsFIX
| Element | Text | Issue | Suggested Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action | Sign in | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://secure.ssa.gov/myssa/myhub | Account | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action | Sign in | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://secure.ssa.gov/myssa/myhub | Account home | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/logout | Sign out | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.ssa.gov/manage-benefits/uplo… | Learn more | generic text | Replace with descriptive text |
Before: Learn more Suggested: Upload Documents | |||
| https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/… | Learn more | generic text | Replace with descriptive text |
Before: Learn more Suggested: Social Security Fairness Act.Html | |||
| https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/account-tr… | Learn more | generic text | Replace with descriptive text |
Before: Learn more Suggested: Account Transition Faqs.Html | |||
| https://www.ssa.gov/manage-benefits/uplo… | Learn more | generic text | Replace with descriptive text |
Before: Learn more Suggested: Upload Documents | |||
| https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/… | Learn more | generic text | Replace with descriptive text |
Before: Learn more Suggested: Social Security Fairness Act.Html | |||
| https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/account-tr… | Learn more | generic text | Replace with descriptive text |
Before: Learn more Suggested: Account Transition Faqs.Html | |||
| https://www.facebook.com/socialsecurity | Social Security on Facebook | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://x.com/socialsecurity | Social Security on Twitter | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.youtube.com/user/socialsecur… | Social Security on Youtube | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.instagram.com/socialsecurity | Social Security on Instagram | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/ssa | Social Security on Linkedin | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://secure.ssa.gov/oig/fraud/ | Report fraud | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.facebook.com/socialsecurity | Social Security on Facebook | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://x.com/socialsecurity | Social Security on Twitter | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.youtube.com/user/socialsecur… | Social Security on Youtube | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.instagram.com/socialsecurity | Social Security on Instagram | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/ssa | Social Security on LinkedIn | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://oig.ssa.gov/ | Office of the Inspector Genera… | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://status.ssa.gov | System status | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://usa.gov | Visit USA.gov | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| <button> | (empty) | empty | Add button text or aria-label |
| <button> | (empty) | empty | Add button text or aria-label |
| <button> | (empty) | empty | Add button text or aria-label |
Generic link text like 'click here' doesn't describe the destination.
https://www.ssa.gov/manage-benefits/upload-documents ("Learn more"); https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/social-security-fairness-act.html ("Learn more"); https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/account-transition-faqs.html ("Learn more"); https://www.ssa.gov/manage-benefits/upload-documents ("Learn more"); https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/social-security-fairness-act.html ("Learn more"); https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/account-transition-faqs.html ("Learn more")
Generic anchor text ('click here', 'read more', 'learn more') tells screen readers and search engines nothing about the destination.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Out-of-context lists of links read by AT (one navigation pattern) become useless when every link says 'click here'. Use the destination's title or topic as anchor text. Doubles as SEO win — Google passes anchor-text relevance to the destination.
Source: WCAG 2.4.4 / Google Search Central
Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.
https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action; https://secure.ssa.gov/myssa/myhub; https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action; https://secure.ssa.gov/myssa/myhub; https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/logout; https://www.facebook.com/socialsecurity; https://x.com/socialsecurity; https://www.youtube.com/user/socialsecurityonline; https://www.instagram.com/socialsecurity; https://www.linkedin.com/company/ssa (+9 more)
Links with target="_blank" without rel="noopener" leak the originating page's window context — security and UX issue.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Without rel="noopener", the new tab can navigate the original tab via window.opener (tab-nabbing attack). Modern browsers default to noopener for target=_blank but only since recent versions. Always set rel="noopener noreferrer" explicitly.
Source: MDN target / OWASP
Icon-only buttons need an aria-label so screen readers can announce them.
button.usa-nav__close (#117 on page); button.usa-button (#926 on page); button.usa-button (#928 on page)
Buttons with no accessible text (icon-only, no aria-label) can't be activated by voice control or understood by screen readers.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 4.1.2
DTabindex Anti-PatternsAction0 positive, 10 -1-on-focusableFIX
F404 Error PageActionHTTP 403, bare pageFIX
DFavicon & BrandingAction3 icon(s) detectedFIX
DWeb ManifestActionNot foundFIX
No web manifest found.
DDark Mode SupportActionNo dark mode signalsFIX
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.
DPrint StylesheetActionNo print stylesFIX
CAlt Text QualityAction11 of 32 images have issuesREVIEW
| Issue | Count |
|---|---|
| missing | 11 image(s) |
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.
Each image without alt text is a WCAG 1.1.1 failure — invisible to screen-reader users, lost from Google Image Search.
Learn more ▾ ▴
WCAG 2.1 Level A requires text alternatives for non-decorative images. Empty alt='' is fine for decorative; meaningful images need descriptive text. Common fixes: CMS audit + bulk add, build-time linter (alt-text-required ESLint rule), CI gate on Lighthouse a11y score.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.1.1 / WebAIM Million Report
CColor Contrast (Screenshot)Action20 text elements analyzed, 11 fail WCAG AAREVIEW
Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.
3 contrast failures on background images/gradients
These failures are invisible to CSS-based accessibility tools like Lighthouse. The text may be fine on a solid background, but fails when rendered over an image or gradient.
Show all checked elements (20)
| Element | Ratio | Required | FG | BG | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| h2 Your most-needed ser… | 2.98:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #015B9D | Fail |
| h2 Life events | 2.98:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #015B9D | Fail |
| h2 Services | 2.98:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #015B9D | Fail |
| h2 Popular tasks | 2.98:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #015B9D | Fail |
| h2 Other services | 2.98:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #015B9D | Fail |
| h2 Secondary Footer | 2.98:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #015B9D | Fail |
| h3 Latest news | 2.98:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #015B9D | Fail |
| title The United States So… | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
| a Skip to main content | 11.86:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #99C8EF | Pass |
| p An official website … | 4.56:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #0076D6 | Pass |
| p Here's how you know | 11.06:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #8BC2EF | Pass |
| span Here's how you know | 9.47:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #B1ACB9 | Pass |
| strong Official websites us… | 2.08:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #533C3D | Fail |
| strong .gov | 5.51:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #A67868 | Pass |
| p website belongs to a… | 4.82:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #A06D56 | Pass |
| strong Secure .gov websites… | 2.77:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #624F56 | Fail |
| strong lock | 2.42:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5B4742 | Fail |
| p ) or | 2.15:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #494339 | Fail |
| strong https:// | 10.53:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #C8B77E | Pass |
| p means you’ve safel… | 21.00:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #FFFFFF | Pass |
Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
ALandmark Structure12 landmarksPASS
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.
Learn more ▾ ▴
When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.
Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices
A+Heading Text QualityAll 44 heading(s) have substantive, well-formed textPASS
AForm Accessibility1 of 2 controls have issuesPASS
| Control | Type | Label | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| #edit-query | search | Search | for/id |
| #edit-submit | submit | (none) | none |
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
<input type="submit" id="edit-submit">
Form controls without labels — assistive tech announces 'edit text' with no context; users can't complete forms.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2
A+Form Input Types2 form control(s) checked, no type mismatchesPASS
A+Form Input Quality2 form control(s) checked, no input-semantic issuesPASS
A+Mobile Keyboard & AutofillNo autofill-eligible form controlsPASS
A+Document LanguageLang attribute set to "en"PASS
A+Iframe AccessibilityNo iframes on this pagePASS
A+Tap Target AdequacyAll tap targets meet WCAG 2.5.5/2.5.8 sizingPASS
A+Mobile-Readable Font SizesAll 96 visible text node(s) render at >= 12 CSS pixelsPASS
A+PWA DepthNo PWA depth issues detectedPASS
A+Mobile UX Depth1 mobile-depth signal(s) detectedPASS
ALighthouse Accessibility AuditsScore 90/100 — 4 failing, 25 passedPASS
Accessibility
These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.
Contrast
Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Learn how to provide sufficient color contrast.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
Get a benefits estimate ul.cta-button-list__list > li.cta-button > a.cta-button__link > span.cta-button__label |
Check eligibility ul.cta-button-list__list > li.cta-button > a.cta-button__link > span.cta-button__label |
Check your status ul.cta-button-list__list > li.cta-button > a.cta-button__link > span.cta-button__label |
Replace your card ul.cta-button-list__list > li.cta-button > a.cta-button__link > span.cta-button__label |
These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.
Navigation
Properly ordered headings that do not skip levels convey the semantic structure of the page, making it easier to navigate and understand when using assistive technologies. Learn more about heading order.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
Age milestones li.link-collection-card > div.link-collection-card__container > div.link-collection-card__header > h4.link-collection-card__heading |
Documents li.link-collection-card > div.link-collection-card__container > div.link-collection-card__header > h4.link-collection-card__heading |
Businesses and employers li.service-card > div.service-card__container > div.service-card__header > h4.service-card__heading |
These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.
Names and labels
Informative elements should aim for short, descriptive alternate text. Decorative elements can be ignored with an empty alt attribute. Learn more about the `alt` attribute.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
div > div.blazy > div.media > img.media__element div > div.blazy > div.media > img.media__element |
These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.
Visible text labels that do not match the accessible name can result in a confusing experience for screen reader users. Learn more about accessible names.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
Social Security div.usa-nav-container > div.region > div#logo > a.usa-logo__text |
Slide 1 of 5 div.ssa-slick-dots > ul.slick-dots > li.slick-active > button#slick-slide-control00 |
Slide 2 of 5 div.ssa-slick-dots > ul.slick-dots > li > button#slick-slide-control01 |
Slide 3 of 5 div.ssa-slick-dots > ul.slick-dots > li > button#slick-slide-control02 |
Slide 4 of 5 div.ssa-slick-dots > ul.slick-dots > li > button#slick-slide-control03 |
Slide 5 of 5 div.ssa-slick-dots > ul.slick-dots > li > button#slick-slide-control04 |