Skip to content
https://cnet.com

Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
58
GRADE
D
FIX
5
REVIEW
4
PASS
4
INFO
0
Checks
13
4 PASS 4 REVIEW 5 FIX
F
Web Manifest
Action
Valid manifest
FIX
Valid manifest
Warning::
No name or short_name
Add a name field to identify the app.
Warning::
No 192x192 icon
A 192px icon is required for PWA installation.
Info::
Display mode: standalone
PWA Install Criteria Not Installable
Name ✗192×192 icon ✗512×512 icon ✗Start URL ✗Display Mode standalone ✓
Display Mode standalone
D
Dark Mode Support
Action
Theme color only
FIX
Theme color only
Info::
Theme-color present but no dark variant
A theme-color is set but no dark-specific variant was found. The browser toolbar may not adapt for dark mode users.
Got: #ffffff
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModePartial Dark Mode
color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Not detected ✗

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found ✗Inline @media print Not detected ✗
F
Navigation UX
Action
No navigation patterns
FIX
No navigation patterns
Info::
2 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
No breadcrumbs, search, or skip link detected
These navigation aids help users orient themselves and find content efficiently, especially on large sites.
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link
Labeled Navigation 2 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
1 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.
B
Form Accessibility
2 of 2 controls have issues
REVIEW
2 of 2 controls have issues
Critical::
1 control(s) without accessible label
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
Got: <input type="submit">
Warning::
1 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="email" name="newsletter_email">
2 controls
0 labeled
1 placeholder only
1 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
newsletter_emailemail(Add your email address)placeholder only
inputsubmit(none)none

Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.

<input type="submit">

Why this matters

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

Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.

<input type="email" name="newsletter_email">

Why this matters

Placeholder-only labels disappear when the user starts typing — they must remember what the field was for.

Learn more ▾

Placeholders are NOT labels. They vanish on input, fail color contrast checks (most are gray), and don't satisfy WCAG SC 3.3.2. Always use a real <label> alongside (or aria-labelledby).

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2 / Nielsen Norman

C
404 Error Page
Action
HTTP 404, custom page
REVIEW
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Page Not Found - CNET ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✗Homepage Link ✗Search Form ✗
B
Favicon & Branding
7 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
7 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
Apple touch icon present
Info::
Multiple icon sizes detected
✓ favicon.ico Present
✓ PNG Icons Present
✓ Apple Touch Present
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✗ Manifest Icons Missing
✓ Multiple Sizes Present
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 20 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

0 pass 20 fail WCAG AA
h1 CNET
1.05:1
#000000
on
#08080B
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
32px · top of page (header area)
h3 ADT Introduces a Glowing Warning Sign an…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 AT&T Rumored to Launch New Top-Tier Unli…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Spotify Will Let Customers Buy a Hard-Co…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Scientists Use AI to Map Ocean Currents …
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, Squirrel W…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Put an Apple Watch on Your Wrist for Up …
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Get Festival-Ready Hair Every Day With W…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Here Are the 7 Best Places to Recycle Yo…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Google Launches Dedicated Gemini App for…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Elevate Your Cooking With This One Simpl…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Motorola Razr Fold Price Revealed Thanks…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Today's NYT Strands Hints, Answers and H…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Today's NYT Connections Hints, Answers a…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Today's Wordle Hints, Answer and Help fo…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 We Love Lenovo’s Legion Gen 3 Gaming T…
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Best Products
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Popular Reviews
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Deals
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Top Explainers
2.82:1
#000000
on
#555555
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h1 CNET1.05:13.0:1
#000000
#08080B
Fail
h3 ADT Introduces a Glo…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 AT&T Rumored to Laun…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Spotify Will Let Cus…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Scientists Use AI to…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Horizon Zero Dawn Re…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Put an Apple Watch o…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Get Festival-Ready H…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Here Are the 7 Best …2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Google Launches Dedi…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Elevate Your Cooking…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Motorola Razr Fold P…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Today's NYT Strands …2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Today's NYT Connecti…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Today's Wordle Hints…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 We Love Lenovo’s L…2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Best Products2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Popular Reviews2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Deals2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail
h3 Top Explainers2.82:13.0:1
#000000
#555555
Fail

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.

A
Landmark Structure
5 landmarks
PASS
5 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
2 <nav> landmark(s) found
Info::
All <nav> elements are properly labeled
Warning::
Skip navigation link is missing (WCAG 2.4.1)
Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV "site" MAIN CONTENTINFO footer

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Why this matters

Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1

A+
Heading Hierarchy
35 headings
PASS
35 headings
Info::
Single H1 present
  • H1 CNET
  • H2 More to Explore
  • H2 Today's Deals
  • H2 Latest
  • H3 ADT Introduces a Glowing Warning Sign and New Emergency Options for Home Security
  • H3 AT&T Rumored to Launch New Top-Tier Unlimited Phone Plan Soon
  • H3 Spotify Will Let Customers Buy a Hard-Copy Book With a Click in the App
  • H3 Scientists Use AI to Map Ocean Currents in Incredible Detail
  • H3 Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, Squirrel With a Gun and More Are Coming to PlayStation Plus in April
  • H3 Put an Apple Watch on Your Wrist for Up to $295 Off With These Deals
  • H3 Get Festival-Ready Hair Every Day With Wavytalk Hair Tech for Up to 43% Off
  • H3 Here Are the 7 Best Places to Recycle Your Old Electronics Ahead of Earth Day
  • H3 Google Launches Dedicated Gemini App for MacOS
  • H3 Elevate Your Cooking With This One Simple Ingredient
  • H3 Motorola Razr Fold Price Revealed Thanks to UK Preorders Going Live
  • H3 Today's NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for April 16 #774
  • H3 Today's NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 16, #1040
  • H3 Today's Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for April 16, #1762
  • H3 We Love Lenovo’s Legion Gen 3 Gaming Tablet, and It’s Now Just $380
  • H2 Our Expertise
  • H2 Mobile
  • H2 What's Streaming
  • H2 Hardware
  • H2 Tech Tips
  • H2 Home Tech
  • H2 AI Atlas
  • H2 Deep Dives
  • H2 Internet
  • H2 Daily Puzzle Answers
  • H3 Best Products
  • H3 Popular Reviews
  • H3 Deals
  • H3 Top Explainers
  • H3 Events
  • H3 Popular Series
A
Alt Text Quality
1 of 129 images have issues
PASS
1 of 129 images have issues
Critical::
1 image(s) missing alt attribute
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.
Info::
128 decorative image(s) correctly marked
129 images 128 decorative 1 missing
IssueCount
missing1 image(s)

Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.

Why this matters

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

A
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 92/100 — 3 failing, 25 passed
PASS
92

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.

Names and labels

When a button doesn't have an accessible name, screen readers announce it as "button", making it unusable for users who rely on screen readers. Learn how to make buttons more accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div.c-siteHeaderMasthead_container > div.c-siteHeaderMasthead_logoLogin > div.c-siteHeaderMasthead_searchLogin > button.c-siteHeaderMasthead_mobileNav div.c-siteHeaderMasthead_container > div.c-siteHeaderMasthead_logoLogin > div.c-siteHeaderMasthead_searchLogin > button.c-siteHeaderMasthead_mobileNav

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.

Best practices

Touch targets with sufficient size and spacing help users who may have difficulty targeting small controls to activate the targets. Learn more about touch targets.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
2 div.c-paginationControl_buttons-wrapper > div.c-paginationControl_buttons > div.c-paginationControl_button > a
3 div.c-paginationControl_buttons-wrapper > div.c-paginationControl_buttons > div.c-paginationControl_button > a
4 div.c-paginationControl_buttons-wrapper > div.c-paginationControl_buttons > div.c-paginationControl_button > a
5 div.c-paginationControl_buttons-wrapper > div.c-paginationControl_buttons > div.c-paginationControl_button > a
6 div.c-paginationControl_buttons-wrapper > div.c-paginationControl_buttons > div.c-paginationControl_button > a
7 div.c-paginationControl_buttons-wrapper > div.c-paginationControl_buttons > div.c-paginationControl_button > a
8 div.c-paginationControl_buttons-wrapper > div.c-paginationControl_buttons > div.c-paginationControl_button > a
9 div.c-paginationControl_buttons-wrapper > div.c-paginationControl_buttons > div.c-paginationControl_button > a

These items highlight common accessibility best practices.

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.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Manage Preferences div.md:flex > div.md:max-w-80 > div.mb-6 > a.primary-link
Our Privacy Policy div#onetrust-group-container > div#onetrust-policy > div#onetrust-policy-text > a.ot-cookie-policy-link
○Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
○Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
○The page has a logical tab order
○Visual order on the page follows DOM order
○User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
○The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
○HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
○Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
○Custom controls have associated labels
○Custom controls have ARIA roles
●`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
●`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
●`[role]` values are valid
●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes
●Input buttons have discernible text.
●Form elements have associated labels
●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
●Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
●Background and foreground colors have a sufficient contrast ratio
●Document has a `<title>` element
●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
●Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
●Links have a discernible name
●No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
○ARIA input fields have accessible names
○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
○Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
○`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
○Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
○ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
○ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
○The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
○`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
○Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
○ARIA IDs are unique
○No form fields have multiple labels
○`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
○Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
○List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
○`<object>` elements have alternate text
○Select elements have associated label elements.
○Skip links are focusable.
○Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
○`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
○`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
○All heading elements contain content.
○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
○Identical links have the same purpose.
○Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
○`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

Send Feedback