If you work with digital content, you’ve probably heard of WCAG, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines that set the bar for accessible websites and digital products. WCAG 2.1 AA is the current standard.
A new version is in the works. On May 21, Global Accessibility Awareness Day, the W3C is expected to release its latest working draft of WCAG 3.0.
What’s changing?
The biggest shift isn’t a new checklist, it’s a new way of measuring accessibility. WCAG 2.x works on a pass/fail basis: you either meet a criterion or you don’t. WCAG 3.0 moves toward a graduated model, with Bronze, Silver, and Gold conformance levels. Bronze is roughly equivalent to today’s WCAG 2.1 AA, so the work you’re doing now isn’t wasted.
The new draft also expands coverage beyond websites to include apps, documents, and emerging technologies, and gives significantly more attention to cognitive accessibility. Plain language, consistent navigation, reduced cognitive load.
Should you be updating your practice right now?
No. WCAG 3.0 is still a draft. The final standard isn’t expected before 2028–2029, and legal adoption would come later still. Keep building to WCAG 2.1 AA.
What you can do: read the draft when it drops on May 21 and get familiar with the direction things are heading. The W3C WAI’s WCAG 3 Introduction is the best starting point.