Test Web Page Accessibility With W3 Website Validator
To build a website that truly works for everyone, you need to test web page accessibility and validate your code. The W3 website validator helps highlight issues in your structure, but real testing goes much deeper. At Access by Design, we combine both for full visibility and lasting impact.
What It Means To Test Web Page Accessibility
Testing your website’s accessibility means checking whether users with disabilities can navigate and use your site without barriers. This includes people using screen readers, keyboard-only access, voice control, or assistive devices.
To test web page accessibility properly, you need to assess:
- Keyboard navigation and focus order
- Screen reader compatibility
- Colour contrast and text readability
- Clear heading structure and skip links
- Form field labels and button context
An automated tool might catch a few problems, but only real testing can confirm that your site is usable.
Using The W3 Website Validator As A Starting Point
The W3 website validator checks the underlying code on your site. It flags issues like:
- Missing labels
- Incorrect heading nesting
- Unclosed HTML tags
- Duplicate IDs
Search engines prefer clean, valid code. But so do screen readers and assistive tech. That is why running the W3 website validator is a good first step before deeper manual testing.
Why Automated Tools Are Not Enough To Test Web Page Accessibility
If you only rely on a web page accessibility checker or the W3 website validator, you will miss critical issues. These tools cannot:
- Understand the meaning behind content
- Detect confusing tab orders
- Recognise poor heading structure for real users
- Test how your site behaves across assistive technologies
That is why we work with a team of disabled testers to uncover barriers that tools cannot detect.
How We Test Web Page Accessibility Properly
Our approach combines automated scans with hands-on testing by real users. We test using:
- Screen readers like NVDA and JAWS
- Keyboard-only browsing
- Colour contrast evaluations
- Logical page structure analysis
We also test PDF documents and video content for accessibility. This creates a full picture of your site’s usability and legal risk.
What The W3 Website Validator Will Not Tell You
The W3 website validator is useful, but it is limited to code-level checks. It will not tell you:
- Whether alt text is meaningful
- If links are clearly described
- Whether dynamic content is accessible
- If visual elements are confusing or misleading
Think of it as your foundation. The structure must be sound, but it is only the beginning.
Checklist To Test Web Page Accessibility Right Now
If you want to start improving your website today, here is a quick checklist:
- Run your homepage through the W3 website validator
- Try using your site without a mouse
- Check whether every image has alt text
- Make sure headings are used in the correct order
- Listen to your content with a screen reader
- Try navigating your menu using only the keyboard
If any of these steps fail, it is time for a proper accessibility audit.
Why It Matters
- Legal protection – Sites that fail accessibility standards may be at risk of legal action
- SEO improvement – Accessible sites perform better in search
- Usability for all – Everyone benefits when a site is easy to use
What Not To Do When You Test Web Page Accessibility
Avoid quick fixes and overlay tools. These are scripts that claim to make your site accessible with one click. They often:
- Hide problems instead of fixing them
- Block users from interacting properly
- Cause bugs or conflict with assistive technology
Instead, test web page accessibility properly and fix issues at the source.
Want To Do It Properly?
We test every site manually, using real users and real tools. We also use the W3 website validator as part of our internal process, but never as the only step. If you want to find out what your website is really like for someone using a screen reader or keyboard, we can show you.
Useful Links
Book a proper web audit
Contact us to improve your website
W3C Markup Validator
WCAG Guidelines
Why accessibility plugins are a bad idea
Why Work With Us
We have been building accessible websites since 2006. Everything we do is built for clarity, compliance, and real-world usability. We help you test web page accessibility, fix what matters, and create a site that includes everyone.
