Accessibility Testing: Spotting Real Issues That Tools Miss
When you hear the word “audit”, what comes to mind? Something thorough? Maybe even intimidating? In the world of websites, an audit might sound like a formal process involving charts, reports, and a hefty price tag. But here is the thing—just because something is called an audit does not mean it actually reveals what matters.
We have seen it time and again: businesses proudly show off their audit reports, confident that everything is fine, only to discover later that their site still locks out disabled users. Why? Because the one thing missing from those audits was real-world accessibility testing.
What Is Accessibility Testing?
Accessibility testing is not about ticking boxes. It is about finding out how people with disabilities actually experience your website.
While automated tools can scan your pages and flag certain errors, they only catch around 30 percent of real problems. The rest? They go unnoticed unless someone with lived experience tries to use your site.
Accessibility testing involves using a screen reader, keyboard navigation, and other assistive technologies to interact with your content in the way real users do. It is about simulating genuine experiences—not just relying on code checks.
And that is where the magic happens. Suddenly, things that seemed fine on paper become major stumbling blocks. Accessibility issues are revealed not because a tool said so, but because a person found them by trying to complete an everyday task.
Why Accessibility Testing Matters More Than Labels
Many organisations have been sold audits that sound impressive but fail to deliver. These audits often come from agencies using only automated scanners or overlay software that promises instant compliance.
The truth? They leave the majority of accessibility issues untouched.
Accessibility testing is what separates surface-level audits from meaningful insight. It exposes the gaps—like a “contact us” form that cannot be used with a keyboard, or a video with no captions. These are not hypothetical concerns. They are barriers that stop people from engaging with your brand, buying your product, or accessing your services.
One charity we worked with had already received a glowing accessibility report from another provider. We were brought in to double-check before their launch. Within minutes of testing, our blind screen reader user found that the navigation was completely unusable. Nothing in the previous report had mentioned it.
This is not a rare case. It is the reality of working in a world where the word “audit” has been overused and undervalued. Accessibility testing tells the real story.
Common Accessibility Issues Found During Testing
Let’s look at some of the most common problems uncovered during manual accessibility testing:
- Keyboard traps: Interactive elements like menus or pop-ups that cannot be exited without a mouse.
- Unlabelled form fields: Input boxes that do not announce what they are for to a screen reader.
- Insufficient colour contrast: Text that looks fine to some but is unreadable to others.
- Missing focus indicators: Users navigating by keyboard have no idea where they are on the page.
- Alt text that is decorative or misleading: Images described in a way that adds no meaning.
These are not theoretical. They are real accessibility issues that have been found on well-known sites, including large public sector platforms and multinational businesses.
What is worse, many of these issues go undetected in automated scans. They require the human element. They require empathy. They require accessibility testing.
Choosing the Right Partner for Accessibility Testing
If you are trying to decide who to work with, there are a few signs to look out for.
Be cautious of any service that offers instant fixes, AI overlays, or purely automated reports. These approaches do not involve testing by disabled people and cannot identify the majority of real-world accessibility issues.
Instead, look for a team that includes testers with a variety of disabilities. Ask about how the testing is done. Request examples of how accessibility issues were discovered in the past and how they were addressed.
A good accessibility testing partner will provide:
- Detailed feedback with context—not just lists of errors.
- A clear accessibility statement that documents known issues and what is being done about them.
- Support and guidance on how to prioritise fixes.
Most importantly, they will involve disabled users in the process. Because those are the people whose experience truly matters.
Beyond Compliance: A Better User Experience
There is a reason we are moving away from the word “audit” and toward “testing”. It is not just about checking a site. It is about challenging assumptions, improving usability, and opening digital doors.
Accessibility testing does not just help people with disabilities. It improves navigation for everyone. When buttons are clearer, when pages load faster, and when layouts are consistent, everyone benefits.
We often find that once accessibility issues are removed, bounce rates drop and conversions go up. That is no accident. It is what happens when your site becomes genuinely usable for more people.
Final Thoughts
Before you invest in another web audit, ask yourself a few key questions.
Was it based on real accessibility testing? Did it involve disabled people? Did it find accessibility issues that go beyond the obvious?
If not, it may be time for a rethink.
True accessibility does not come from a report. It comes from understanding how people experience your site—and fixing what gets in their way.
If you are ready to go deeper than checklists, we would love to speak with you. Proper accessibility testing is the first step. The second is doing something with what you learn.