WCAG 3.0 Is Coming: What It Means and How to Prepare in 2025

If you’re operating an online business in 2025, then you’re undoubtedly aware of the global Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and how they relate to business obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). (If you’re not, we invite you to peruse our blog library for informative content!) 

A new version of the WCAG, version 3.0, is on the horizon and having a solid grasp on how this changes the digital accessibility landscape is critical. We’ll explain why WCAG 3.0 matters, how it differs from the current version, and what you should do now to prepare.

Why WCAG 3.0 matters in 2025

As you know, digital accessibility matters for many reasons. From a human standpoint, accessibility means a more equitable and dynamic consumer experience across the board. In a world fully capable of achieving it, striving for inclusivity is about implementing a shared global vision of humanity that recognizes the inherent worth and value of everyone. 

From a business standpoint, accessibility means a more profitable, far-reaching, better-performing, and value-driven prospect. Within the U.S. specifically, the WCAG is tied conceptually and meaningfully to the implementation and enforcement of ADA standards across the web. This means that WCAG 3.0 will not only set the bar for global accessibility standards, but it is also poised to influence the specific legal expectations for businesses within the U.S.

The good news is that understanding the WCAG 3.0 isn’t just a practical step to check off your to-do list, it is also an exciting reimagining of digital accessibility altogether!

What’s different from WCAG 2.2?

The biggest difference between WCAG 3.0 and WCAG 2.2 is that it isn’t just an update — it’s a complete shift in mindset toward user experience.

Outcomes Over CheckBoxes

If there is a single aspect of the WCAG 3.0 that elevates it to the next level of accessibility metrics, it’s the incredible focus it places on actual, tangible outcomes rather than simple procedural checkboxes. What does this mean in real terms? It means that the measurable accessibility achievements under WCAG 3.0 are based in user experience, not simply coding implementation. 

A clear and easy example of this difference can be seen in the approach to the use of images on websites. Currently, under WCAG 2.2, compliance with this standard requires the existence of alt text. So, conformity is measured by whether you can check the box “has an alt text.” 

However, under WCAG 3.0, real-world user experience is the barometer for compliance. So, the inquiry becomes “can the user understand this image?” 

Wow! Though both recognize the accessibility problems surrounding use of images and offer solutions, the new standard completely shifts the perspective in a way that makes it a total game-changer.  

Expansive Accessibility

One of our favorite aspects of the new WCAG 3.0 standards is the emphasis on an expansive array of accessibility considerations. While the current standards have done a wonderful job of focusing attention on the more overt accessibility burdens arising out of vision differences among online users, according to the W3C Working Draft, the new standards incorporate a broader emphasis on:

  •  Low vision and other vision impairments

  •  Deafness and hearing loss

  •  Limited movement and dexterity

  •  Speech disabilities

  •  Sensory disorders

  •  Cognitive and learning disabilities

  •  Combinations of all of the above

The New Scoring System

The new scoring system being rolled out with WCAG 3.0 is notably less binary and more nuanced, which nicely aligns with the new approach centering user experience over rote procedural takeaways. Based on a 5 point rating scale (0 to 4), the scores go from 0 (or Very Poor) to 4 (or Excellent). 

In the current WCAG version, achieving conformance is then designated with “A” rating levels (A/AA/AAA), which we’ve written about previously. In the new version, these “A” rating levels are replaced with the more readily recognizable Bronze, Silver, and Gold labels.

What Teams Should Do Now

The exceptional business benefits of digital accessibility compliance are increasingly well known and implemented. But in light of the new WCAG 3.0 rollout there are a few things your team can do now to be prepared going forward. And at the heart of all of them is the best-in-class digital accessibility audit!

One: Start testing with real users with disabilities.

There is no legitimate debate about whether manual testing is the ideal method of ADA compliance auditing. Even prior to the impending implementation of the WCAG 3.0, manual testing has been the gold standard because it centers useability and user experience. Compare this to a simple software audit that crawls through your site identifying potential coding issues, without regard to authentic experience for the end users.

It’s easy to see that the foundation behind manual auditing is exactly the same foundation behind the WCAG 3.0. Afterall, accessibility auditing and implementation is only as good as the end user experience on the website. Simply checking the boxes by adding a bit of coding, using an overlay, or running a widget has been proven time and time again to be an unsatisfactory and ineffective solution to accessibility problems. 

You need to know how genuinely usable your website is for consumers with disabilities and the only way to know that with any degree of certainty and clarity is through a well-executed and comprehensive manual audit. With WCAG 3.0, this gold standard is essentially becoming the only standard. At AllyADA, we’re proud to be at the forefront of this recognition from the beginning. 

With a user interface focused on actual outcomes now, your business will be ready for the standards of the imminent future.

Two: Review design systems for flexibility and clarity.

Along with the manual review, another important step your team can take now is to review design systems for flexibility and clarity. As this WCAG 3.0 transitions into the norm, it will require reliance on systems that leave room for the evolved standard that naturally flows from it. To this end, doing a comprehensive check of your design systems now will help pave the way for an easy and seamless transition later.

Three: Use WCAG 3.0 drafts to revise internal accessibility checklists.

Again, along with manual review, the best way to prepare for the new WCAG standards is to begin revising your internal accessibility checklists now. By taking a proactive approach, you are setting your business up for a smooth growth process down the road. Being at the forefront of this experience is the best way to optimize the abundance of business benefits that come from embracing digital accessibility.

How AllyADA Can Help

The alignment of our process and approach to digital accessibility with the new standards under the WCAG 3.0 is remarkable. User experience is the future of digital accessibility and we’re already there. We bring your site into compliance with the ADA in a way that is fully cognizant of the WCAG standards and primes your online business for growth while other businesses scramble against lawsuits, fines, and accessibility fails.

Reach out to one of our CPACC-certified accessibility specialists today to ask questions and get started!