WAVE - Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool

WAVE is a suite of evaluation tools by WebAIM that provides visual feedback about the accessibility of web content. Its intuitive interface makes it perfect for developers, designers, and content creators at all skill levels.

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Tool Overview

Attribute Details
Developer WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind)
Tool Type Visual accessibility evaluation tool
Platforms Web service, Chrome/Firefox/Edge extension
Pricing Free (online tool and extensions) / Paid API
Standards Tested WCAG 2.1 A, AA; Section 508
Website wave.webaim.org
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What is WAVE?

WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) is a free tool developed by WebAIM that helps make web content more accessible. Unlike tools that only show results in a list, WAVE displays icons and indicators directly on the page, making it easy to see exactly where accessibility issues occur.

WebAIM, based at Utah State University, has been a leader in web accessibility since 1999. WAVE has been continuously updated for over 20 years and is one of the most trusted accessibility evaluation tools available.

WAVE is particularly valuable for visual learners and those new to accessibility because it shows problems in context. Seeing an error icon next to a specific image or form field makes the issue immediately understandable.

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Key Features & Capabilities

Visual Feedback

  • Errors (Red): Accessibility issues that need to be fixed
  • Alerts (Yellow): Items that may be problematic and need review
  • Features (Green): Accessibility features present on the page
  • Structural Elements (Purple): Headings, lists, landmarks
  • ARIA (Pink): ARIA roles and properties
  • Contrast (Blue): Color contrast information

Analysis Tools

  • Contrast Checker: Evaluate text color contrast ratios
  • Structure View: See document outline and heading hierarchy
  • Styles View: View page without CSS to check reading order
  • Reference Panel: Learn about each issue with links to documentation
  • Code View: See the HTML causing each issue

Available Versions

  • Web Service: wave.webaim.org - test any public URL
  • Browser Extension: Chrome, Firefox, Edge - test any page including local
  • WAVE API: Integrate WAVE into your testing workflow (paid)
  • WAVE Runner: Multi-page testing (Enterprise)
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How to Use WAVE

Web Service

  1. Go to wave.webaim.org
  2. Enter the URL of the page you want to test
  3. Click "Submit" or press Enter
  4. Review the page with WAVE icons overlaid
  5. Click on icons to see details about each issue
  6. Use the sidebar panels to explore different views

Browser Extension

  1. Install the WAVE extension from your browser's extension store
  2. Navigate to the page you want to test
  3. Click the WAVE icon in your browser toolbar
  4. WAVE will analyze the page and display results
  5. Click on any icon to learn more about the issue

Understanding the Interface

  • Summary Panel: Overview of errors, alerts, features, and structural elements
  • Details Panel: Itemized list of all issues found
  • Reference Panel: Information about the selected issue
  • Structure Panel: Document outline and landmarks
  • Contrast Panel: Color contrast analysis
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What WAVE Tests For

Category Example Issues Detected
Images Missing alt text, empty alt on linked images, image maps
Forms Missing labels, empty form labels, orphaned labels
Links Empty links, redundant links, suspicious link text
Structure Missing headings, skipped heading levels, missing landmarks
Tables Missing table headers, layout tables, caption issues
ARIA Missing ARIA labels, redundant ARIA, invalid ARIA
Contrast Low contrast text, contrast for large text
Document Missing language, missing title, broken skip links

Errors vs. Alerts

Errors: Definite accessibility barriers that must be fixed.
Alerts: Items that may be barriers and require human review. Not all alerts are problems, but each should be evaluated.

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Quick Facts

Best For: Visual, in-context accessibility evaluation

Skill Level: Beginner-friendly

Time to Learn: 10-15 minutes

Output: Visual overlay with detailed reference information

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Pricing

Free

  • Web service (wave.webaim.org)
  • Browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
  • Unlimited page evaluations

WAVE API (Paid)

  • Starting at $10/month
  • Programmatic access
  • JSON/XML results
  • CI/CD integration

Enterprise

  • WAVE Runner for multi-page testing
  • Custom reporting
  • Contact WebAIM for pricing
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Pros & Cons

Advantages

  • Visual, in-context feedback
  • Free web service and extensions
  • Beginner-friendly interface
  • Excellent documentation
  • Trusted, maintained by WebAIM
  • Built-in contrast checker

Limitations

  • Cannot test authenticated pages (web service)
  • One page at a time (free version)
  • Cannot detect all issues (30-40%)
  • API requires subscription
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Best Practices for Using WAVE

Effective Testing

  1. Fix Errors First: Start with red error icons before addressing alerts
  2. Review All Alerts: Not all alerts are problems, but each needs evaluation
  3. Use Structure View: Check heading hierarchy and document outline
  4. Check Contrast: Use the contrast panel for all text colors

Going Beyond WAVE

  1. Test Interactivity: WAVE doesn't test keyboard navigation fully
  2. Use Screen Readers: WAVE can't replace NVDA/VoiceOver testing
  3. Check Dynamic Content: WAVE tests the initial page state only
  4. Verify Manually: Some issues require human judgment

Pro Tip: Use the "No Styles" View

WAVE's "Styles" button removes CSS from the page, allowing you to see the underlying document structure and reading order. This is particularly useful for checking if content makes sense when read linearly by a screen reader.

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