Wix and Squarespace accessibility: what you can fix

Building a website on Wix or Squarespace offers convenience and speed, but when it comes to accessibility, many website owners hit unexpected roadblocks. While these popular website builders provide some built-in accessibility features, understanding what you can and cannot control is essential for creating an inclusive online experience that meets legal requirements.

Whether you run an online store, manage a portfolio site, or operate a business website, accessibility isn’t optional anymore. The European Accessibility Act requires many websites to be accessible by June 2025, and ADA compliance in the United States applies to most businesses with a web presence. This guide explores the accessibility controls available in Wix and Squarespace, their limitations, and practical steps to ensure your site meets modern accessibility standards.

Understanding platform-specific accessibility controls

Both Wix and Squarespace have made strides in improving accessibility, but they approach it differently. Knowing what each platform offers helps you make informed decisions about your website’s compliance journey.

Wix accessibility features and limitations

Wix provides several accessibility tools that give users some control over their site’s inclusiveness. The platform includes an accessibility wizard that automatically adds features like keyboard navigation and screen reader adjustments. However, this wizard has sparked controversy in the accessibility community because it relies on client-side JavaScript overlays rather than fixing underlying code issues.

What you can control in Wix includes adding alternative text to images through the media manager, adjusting heading structures in the text editor, and modifying color schemes through the design settings. The platform also allows you to add ARIA labels to certain elements, though this requires familiarity with the code editor for more complex implementations.

The limitations become apparent when dealing with template-locked elements. Many Wix templates include design components that cannot be fully customized for accessibility. Navigation menus sometimes lack proper ARIA attributes, and certain animations cannot be disabled, potentially causing issues for users with vestibular disorders or motion sensitivity.

Squarespace accessibility capabilities

Squarespace takes a more conservative approach to accessibility. The platform focuses on semantic HTML structure, which provides a stronger foundation for screen readers and assistive technologies. Templates in Squarespace version 7.1 and later include better baseline accessibility compared to older versions.

Users can control alt text for all images, customize focus states for interactive elements through CSS, and adjust typography settings for better readability. Squarespace also maintains consistent heading hierarchies across most templates, which helps screen reader users navigate content more effectively.

However, Squarespace has its own constraints. Some design blocks lack sufficient color contrast controls, making it difficult to meet WCAG AA standards without custom CSS. The platform’s form builder also has limited accessibility customization, particularly around error messaging and field descriptions that assistive technologies rely on.

Critical accessibility elements you must configure

Regardless of which platform you use, certain accessibility elements require manual configuration. These fundamental components form the backbone of an accessible website and cannot be left to automation.

Image alternative text and descriptions

Every image on your website needs descriptive alternative text. Both Wix and Squarespace provide fields for alt text, but they don’t enforce or remind you to complete them. Decorative images should have empty alt attributes, while informative images need concise, meaningful descriptions that convey the image’s purpose and content.

For e-commerce sites built on these platforms, product images represent a particular challenge. Each product shot, variation image, and gallery thumbnail requires appropriate alt text. This becomes especially important for e-commerce accessibility, where visual information directly impacts purchasing decisions.

Heading structure and content hierarchy

Proper heading structure helps all users understand your content organization, but it’s particularly crucial for screen reader users who navigate by headings. Both platforms allow you to select heading levels, but they don’t prevent you from making structural errors like skipping from H1 to H3 or using headings purely for visual styling.

Your page should have exactly one H1 tag that describes the main content. Subsequent headings should follow a logical hierarchy without skipping levels. When you’re tempted to use a heading tag just to make text larger or bolder, resist the urge and use regular paragraph styling instead.

Color contrast and visual design

Color contrast ratios determine whether text is readable for users with visual impairments. WCAG 2.1 requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text at the AA level. Both Wix and Squarespace offer color customization, but neither platform automatically checks contrast ratios as you design.

You’ll need to manually verify that your chosen color combinations meet contrast requirements. This applies to all text, including navigation menus, buttons, form labels, and footer content. Light gray text on white backgrounds, a popular minimalist design choice, frequently fails contrast requirements despite looking clean and modern.

Common accessibility pitfalls on website builders

Even with the best intentions, certain features and design choices on Wix and Squarespace create accessibility barriers. Recognizing these pitfalls helps you avoid them during the design process.

Template-based accessibility issues

Pre-designed templates offer visual appeal and quick setup, but they often embed accessibility problems that are difficult to fix. Navigation menus might rely solely on hover states without keyboard accessibility. Image carousels may auto-rotate without pause controls. Modal windows could trap keyboard focus without providing an obvious escape route.

When selecting a template, test it thoroughly with keyboard navigation before committing to it. Tab through the entire page using only your keyboard. Can you access every link, button, and form field? Can you see where focus is at all times? If you encounter problems during this basic test, the template likely has deeper accessibility issues.

Form accessibility challenges

Forms represent one of the most common accessibility failures on websites built with these platforms. Both Wix and Squarespace form builders create functional forms, but they often lack proper label associations, error identification, and instruction text that assistive technologies need.

Contact forms, newsletter signups, and checkout processes must clearly associate labels with form fields programmatically, not just visually. Error messages need to be announced to screen readers and clearly indicate which fields require correction. Required fields should be marked both visually and programmatically, ideally before the user attempts to submit the form.

Media and interactive content

Videos embedded from platforms like YouTube or Vimeo need captions and transcripts. Both website builders allow you to embed media, but they don’t enforce accessibility requirements for that content. Similarly, audio content requires transcripts that are linked prominently near the player.

Interactive elements like maps, calendars, and galleries present unique challenges. Google Maps embeds, for example, may not be fully keyboard accessible. Custom JavaScript widgets might not announce state changes to screen readers. These components require additional attention and sometimes alternative accessible versions for users who cannot interact with the default presentation.

Steps to improve accessibility on your platform

Taking control of your website’s accessibility requires a systematic approach. These practical steps work for both Wix and Squarespace sites and address the most common compliance gaps.

Start with an accessibility audit to identify current issues. Tools like WAVE, axe DevTools, and browser built-in accessibility checkers provide immediate feedback on common problems. However, automated tools only catch about 30 to 40 percent of accessibility issues, so manual testing remains essential.

Review your content systematically, checking every page for proper heading structure, sufficient color contrast, and complete alt text. Test all interactive elements with keyboard navigation. Verify that forms provide clear labels and helpful error messages. Ensure that any time-based content, like carousels or animations, can be paused or disabled.

For Wix users, resist relying entirely on accessibility overlay widgets. While they may provide some assistance, they don’t address underlying code issues and can create additional problems for some assistive technology users. Focus instead on fixing the source of accessibility barriers in your site’s structure and content.

Squarespace users should leverage the platform’s cleaner HTML structure by using custom CSS thoughtfully. Avoid CSS that hides content from screen readers when it should remain accessible, and ensure that custom styling doesn’t remove visible focus indicators from interactive elements.

Regular testing with actual assistive technologies provides insights that automated tools miss. If possible, test your site with a screen reader like NVDA (free for Windows) or VoiceOver (built into macOS and iOS). Navigate your entire site using only a keyboard. Try increasing text size to 200 percent and verify that content remains readable and functional.

When platform limitations require additional solutions

Even after optimizing everything within your control, Wix and Squarespace have inherent limitations that may prevent full compliance with WCAG standards. Understanding when you’ve reached these limitations helps you make informed decisions about next steps.

Some template components cannot be modified sufficiently to meet accessibility requirements. Certain platform-generated code may include accessibility barriers that you cannot fix without leaving the platform entirely. Complex interactive features might lack the ARIA attributes necessary for proper screen reader support.

For businesses that must achieve full website accessibility compliance, these limitations create risk. Legal requirements don’t make exceptions for platform constraints. A user who cannot access your site due to platform-based barriers faces the same exclusion as they would from any other inaccessible website.

This is where automated accessibility scanning becomes valuable for ongoing compliance. Continuous monitoring identifies new issues as you update content, change templates, or add features. For website owners and agencies managing multiple sites, this systematic approach ensures nothing slips through the cracks.

Scanluma provides comprehensive accessibility scanning that works with any website platform, including Wix and Squarespace. Rather than relying on manual checks or hoping platform updates fix underlying issues, automated scanning catches problems immediately and provides clear guidance on remediation. This approach particularly benefits small businesses that lack dedicated accessibility resources but still need to maintain compliance.

Maintaining accessibility as your site evolves

Website accessibility isn’t a one-time project but an ongoing commitment. Every content update, design change, or new feature introduction can create new accessibility barriers, even on platforms designed with some accessibility features in mind.

Establish a content workflow that includes accessibility checks before publishing. When adding new pages, uploading images, or creating forms, verify that you’ve included all necessary accessibility elements. Train team members who update content on basic accessibility principles, particularly around alt text, heading structure, and link text.

Monitor platform updates from Wix or Squarespace, as changes to templates or features can impact accessibility positively or negatively. Sometimes platform updates improve accessibility automatically, but other times they introduce new issues that require attention.

Document your accessibility decisions and implementations. Note which template elements you’ve modified, which custom code you’ve added, and which known issues you’re monitoring. This documentation helps maintain consistency as your team grows or changes and provides evidence of good-faith accessibility efforts.

Consider your platform choice as part of your long-term accessibility strategy. As your business grows and accessibility requirements become more stringent, you may eventually need to migrate to a platform that offers greater control over code and structure. Planning for this possibility helps you make strategic decisions about customization and content organization now.

Taking control of your website’s accessibility

Wix and Squarespace offer different strengths and weaknesses for accessibility, but both platforms put significant control in your hands. Success comes from understanding these controls, using them consistently, and recognizing when platform limitations require additional solutions.

Focus on the fundamentals that you can directly control such as alt text, heading structure, color contrast, and form labels. Test regularly with keyboards and screen readers. Document your efforts and establish processes that maintain accessibility as your site grows.

For comprehensive accessibility compliance that goes beyond platform limitations, explore accessibility solutions designed to work alongside your chosen website builder. The combination of platform-native controls and specialized accessibility tools provides the most reliable path to creating an inclusive web presence that serves all users while meeting legal requirements.

Remember that accessibility benefits everyone. Better structure helps search engines understand your content. Clearer navigation improves user experience for all visitors. Higher contrast makes content readable in various lighting conditions. The effort you invest in accessibility creates a better website across every dimension that matters for your business success.