Mobile accessibility: a growing concern
Over 60% of web traffic now comes from mobile devices. For people with disabilities, the smartphone is often the primary means of accessing the internet. Built-in accessibility features (VoiceOver, TalkBack, magnification, voice control) make mobile a powerful inclusion tool — provided sites and apps are designed to leverage them.
The legal accessibility obligation applies equally to websites viewed on mobile and to native mobile applications.
Touch targets: size and spacing
| Standard | Minimum size |
|---|---|
| WCAG 2.2 (AA) | 24 × 24 CSS pixels |
| WCAG 2.2 (AAA) | 44 × 44 CSS pixels |
| Apple (iOS) | 44 × 44 points |
| Google (Android) | 48 × 48 dp |
Maintain at least 8 pixels spacing between interactive elements to prevent tap errors.
Responsive design and accessibility
- Never block zoom — Don't use
user-scalable=noormaximum-scale=1. - Content at 320px — Content must remain readable at 320px viewport width (RGAA criterion 10.11).
- No dual scrolling — Avoid requiring both horizontal and vertical scrolling (except for data tables, images, and videos).
- Use relative units — rem, em, and viewport units instead of fixed pixels for text and spacing.
Mobile screen readers
VoiceOver (iOS)
Left/right swipe to navigate elements, double-tap to activate, rotor gesture to navigate by element type (headings, links, forms). Used by ~70% of mobile screen reader users in France.
TalkBack (Android)
Left/right swipe to navigate, double-tap to activate, swipe up-then-right for navigation options. Used by ~30% of mobile screen reader users in France.
Accessible gestures
- Simple alternatives — Every multipoint or path-based gesture must have a single-tap alternative.
- Pointer cancellation — Actions should trigger on "up" event, not "down," allowing users to cancel.
- Motion activation — If motion-triggered (shake, tilt), provide a button alternative and ability to disable.
Screen orientation
Content must not be locked to a single orientation (portrait or landscape) unless essential to the functionality.
Mobile testing checklist
| Check | Verification | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Touch targets | Min 44×44px with spacing | Critical |
| Zoom | User zoom not blocked | Critical |
| Orientation | Works in portrait and landscape | Serious |
| Screen readers | Content correctly announced | Critical |
| Gestures | Simple alternative for complex gestures | Serious |
| Virtual keyboard | Appropriate input types | Moderate |
| Responsive | Readable at 320px width | Serious |
Tip: Test your site on mobile with RGAA Test for baseline issues, then complete with manual testing using VoiceOver (iOS) and TalkBack (Android) to validate the real user experience.