6 Common Web Accessibility Issues + Fixes (2026)

Web accessibility remains a major concern in 2026, and recent legal trends make this clear.

ADA website compliance lawsuits have climbed sharply in 2025. There were 3,117 federal website-accessibility lawsuits, up 27% from 2024 and now accounting for 36% of all federal ADA Title III filings. And when you look closely at these lawsuits, many are filed because websites are missing basic accessibility features users rely on.

In this guide, we break down the six most common web accessibility issues in 2026, based on findings from the WebAIM Million study, which analyzes one million home pages each year. We explain each issue in detail and outline the steps you can take to fix it.

The 6 most common web accessibility issues

1. Insufficient color contrast between text and background
2. Images missing alternative text
3. Forms missing labels
4. Empty links
5. Empty buttons
6. Pages missing language attribute

These issues may seem simple, but they appear on websites of all sizes and across every industry.

The WebAIM Million study, which reviews one million home pages each year, has consistently reported these same recurring problems for seven years. When we checked 100 EU websites ahead of the EAA compliance deadline (spring 2025), we found the same pattern.

The alarming thing is that these are basic accessibility issues, yet they keep appearing across seven years of data. This repetition makes it clear that many teams are still overlooking simple checks that would greatly improve accessibility.

At the same time, the positive thing is that the numbers had been slowly improving in prior years, with a gradual decrease in these issues from 2019 to 2025. The 2026 data shows that progress can reverse just as easily, which is exactly why these checks need to stay part of your routine rather than a one-time fix.

Part of this progress (and the recent reversal) comes down to how seriously accessibility laws, such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), are being treated. These laws encourage teams to prioritize accessibility and treat it as an ongoing responsibility, not a box to check once.

Issue #1: Insufficient color contrast between text and background

Insufficient color contrast happens when the text does not stand out enough from the background, making it hard to see and even harder to read. A common example is light grey text on a white background. It may look clean, but it creates a clear contrast issue.

Who it affects

• People with low vision.
• People with color blindness.
• Older adults with reduced contrast sensitivity.
• People trying to read content in bright sunlight.

How to fix insufficient color contrast

Your goal is to meet WCAG contrast ratios: 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. If you are unfamiliar, normal text is anything below 18pt (or below 14pt when bold). Large text is 18pt or larger (or 14pt or larger when bold).

Adjust the color palette so that all key elements meet the required contrast ratios, not just text on its background. This includes links, buttons, focus indicators, icons, form field borders, and any other visual element that users need to see clearly.

When updating your styles, avoid adding anything that lowers contrast, such as low-opacity text, very light borders, or faint focus outlines. These choices can make interactive elements and important information much harder to see.

Test your colors using a free color contrast checker. If a color pair fails, adjust it by darkening or lightening either the text or the background, or choose a different color entirely until the contrast meets WCAG requirements, and the content is readable.

Issue #2: Images missing alternative text

Alt text is a short description that communicates the content of an image for users who cannot see it. Without alt text, screen readers announce the element only as “image,” with no description of what it represents, leaving users unaware of important information.

Who it affects

• Blind users.
• Users with low vision who rely on screen readers.
• People on slow or unstable networks when images fail to load.

How to fix missing alternative text

Make sure every meaningful image has accurate alt text added through your CMS using the alt attribute. You should write a short text that describes the image’s purpose and add it to the alt attribute in the HTML.

For example:

<img src="laptop-user.jpg" alt="Person typing on a laptop">

Decorative images should use an empty alt attribute (alt="") so screen readers skip them. For complex visuals such as charts or diagrams, include a short alt text and provide a longer explanation nearby or link to an accessible long description.

Issue #3: Forms missing labels

A label connects descriptive text (like “Email Address” or “Password”) to its corresponding input field in a form. Without this connection, screen readers cannot properly announce what the user is supposed to type into the field, forcing the user to guess or abandon the form altogether.

Who it affects

• Screen reader users.
• Users navigating with speech input.
• Users with cognitive challenges who need clear guidance.

How to fix missing form labels

Make sure each form field has a clear label, and link the label to its input using matching for and id attributes so that assistive tools can read it correctly.

For example:

<label for="email">Email address</label> 

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

Avoid relying on placeholder text alone, because screen readers often ignore it, and it disappears as soon as the user starts typing. If the field needs specific information, such as a format or example, add those instructions in or near the label so all users understand the requirement.

Issue #4: Empty links

Empty links are links with no visible text and no accessible name. This often happens when a link uses only an icon without an ARIA label or meaningful alt text, or when the link text is accidentally left out. Without a label, screen readers announce it simply as “link.”

Here is an example of an empty link:

<!-- This link has no visible text and no accessible name --> 

<a href="/pricing"> 

<img src="pricing-icon.svg" alt=""> <!-- No meaningful alt text --> 

</a>

Who it affects

• Screen reader users.
• Keyboard users who tab through links.
• Users with cognitive challenges.

How to fix empty links

Make sure every link has visible text or an accessible name so users and screen readers understand its purpose.

For example:

<a href="/pricing">View pricing</a>

If your link uses only an icon, add a hidden accessible label so screen readers can identify it. You can do this by adding an aria-label. This ensures users understand the action even when the link has no visible text.

For example:

<a href="/pricing" aria-label="View pricing"> 

<img src="pricing-icon.svg" alt=""> 

</a>

Issue #5: Empty buttons

Empty buttons are buttons that have no visible text or accessible name. This often happens when a button uses only an icon without alt text or an ARIA label, making it effectively empty to screen readers; they will simply announce it as “button,” which does not explain the action.

Here is an example of an empty code:

<button></button>

Who it affects

• Screen reader users.
• Keyboard users.
• Users with motor or cognitive challenges.
• Every user of the website.

How to fix empty buttons

Buttons should always tell users what action they trigger. Use short, clear labels like “Search,” “Submit,” or “Add to cart” so the purpose is easy to understand. Make sure this label is added in the HTML so assistive tools can read it.

For example:

<button>Search</button>

If the button uses only an icon, add an ARIA label to give the button an accessible name. This helps screen reader users understand what the button does.

For example:

<button aria-label="Search"> 

<img src="search-icon.svg" alt="Search"> 

</button>

Issue #6: Pages missing language attribute

The language attribute tells browsers and screen readers what language the page is written in. When the lang attribute is missing from the HTML, assistive technologies must guess the language. This often leads to incorrect pronunciation and a confusing reading experience.

Who it affects

• Screen reader users.
• People who do not speak the language on the website.
• Anyone relying on correct pronunciation or translation tools.

How to fix missing language attribute

Set the correct language on every page so browsers and screen readers know how to read the content. Developers should add the lang attribute to the <html> tag in the main template.

For example:

<html lang="en">

If a page or a section uses a different language, change the lang value for the whole page or add a lang attribute to that specific section. This helps assistive tools pronounce words correctly and improves comprehension.

It’s also worth remembering that these six issues cover home page HTML, not everything users interact with. PDFs and other embedded documents carry their own accessibility problems and are a common gap outside the scope of this WebAIM-based scan.

How WebYes Accessibility helps you fix these issues faster

If you own or manage a website, these web accessibility issues are a reminder to pause and check the basics. Small steps like adding alt text, fixing form labels, and improving color contrast all contribute to a smoother and more accessible experience for your users.

If you want help getting started, WebYes Accessibility can speed up the entire process. Instead of checking every page manually, use WebYes to scan your entire website or focus on key pages, and it identifies problem areas and provides AI-powered suggestions for how to fix them.

To show how this works in practice, here’s an example of WebYes Accessibility detecting and explaining a color contrast problem. The tool highlights the exact text that fails the WCAG contrast ratio and displays the foreground and background colors causing the issue.

WebYes Accessibility doesn’t stop at detection. It also provides AI-powered suggestions and shows the underlying code so you know what to change. This takes the guesswork out of fixing color contrast and helps you correct issues much faster than checking everything manually.

If you’re ready to try it yourself, sign up for WebYes Accessibility for free and run your first scan. You’ll instantly see which pages have issues, what those issues are, and how to fix them. Start by tackling a few high-impact problems, then keep improving over time.

With regular scans and small updates, your site will become more accessible, easier to use, and safer from avoidable accessibility complaints.

One honest caution: if you’re tempted to reach for a quick fix instead, it’s worth understanding why accessibility overlays don’t make your website accessible before you rely on one. Overlays can mask problems without fixing the underlying code, which leaves the same barriers in place for real users.