A WCAG 2.2 checklist for Confluence authors
Not the full 87 success criteria — the dozen things a person writing a Confluence page actually controls, in the order that removes the most harm per minute spent.
Before you publish
1. Every image has a description, or is marked decorative
Click the image, add alt text, and say what a reader would lose if the image vanished. Filenames are not descriptions. WCAG 1.1.1, level A
2. Headings are real headings, in order
Bold text is not a heading. Use the text style menu, start at H2 (Confluence already gives the page title an H1), and never skip a level. WCAG 1.3.1, level A
3. Lists are real lists
Typed dashes look like a list and are read as loose sentences. Select the lines and apply a bulleted or numbered list. WCAG 1.3.1, level A
4. Tables have a header row
Turn on the header row in the table toolbar. Avoid merged cells. If the table is holding a layout rather than data, use a page layout instead. WCAG 1.3.1, level A
5. Links say where they go
“Click here” and a bare URL both fail. Write the destination: “the 2026 onboarding checklist”. Two links with the same text must not lead to different places. WCAG 2.4.4, level A
6. Colour is never the only cue
“The rows in red need approval” leaves out anyone who cannot see the red. Add a word, a label, or a status lozenge with text in it. WCAG 1.4.1, level A
7. Coloured text still has contrast
Body text needs 4.5:1 against its background, large headings 3:1. The pale greys people reach for to “soften” a caption are usually around 2.8:1. Coloured table cells and custom panels count as the background. WCAG 1.4.3, level AA
8. The page title describes the page
“Copy of Untitled” and “Meeting notes” are not titles. The title has to work in a search result, out of context. WCAG 2.4.2, level A
9. Collapsible sections and embeds are labelled
An expand with no title is announced as a button that does something unknown. An embed with no title is announced as “frame”. WCAG 2.4.6 and 4.1.2
10. Video and audio have an alternative
A recorded walkthrough needs captions, and a transcript or a written version of the same steps on the page. This is the one item on this list that takes real work — which is why it is worth deciding before you record. WCAG 1.2.1 and 1.2.2, level A
Things worth doing that are not strictly required
- Break paragraphs longer than a screen.
- Avoid blocks of capitals — some screen readers spell them out.
- Do not use blank lines for spacing; each one is announced.
- Keep headings short enough to scan in a heading list.
What this checklist cannot do
It covers what an author controls in the content. It does not cover the accessibility of the Confluence interface itself, which is Atlassian's responsibility and described in their VPAT, and it does not settle the criteria that depend on judgement — whether your reading order matches your meaning, or whether a description is actually adequate for someone who cannot see the image.