WCAG 3.0: What Your Business Needs To Know

WCAG 3.0 represents a fundamental rethinking of accessibility standards. Unlike previous versions, which centred on websites and binary pass/fail criteria, this next-generation framework is designed to cover the full spectrum of digital experiences from mobile apps to immersive environments. It introduces a new model for compliance, outcome-based evaluations, and greater emphasis on real-world usability. For organisations, WCAG 3.0 is not just an update. It is a signal that accessibility expectations are evolving, and those who adapt early will be best positioned to meet both regulatory requirements and user needs.

What is WCAG 3.0?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) have long been the global standard for making digital experiences more accessible. The next generation, WCAG 3.0, is currently in draft form and marks the most significant shift since accessibility standards were first introduced. Unlike its predecessors, which focused primarily on websites, WCAG 3.0 expands to include apps, emerging technologies like virtual and augmented reality, voice-driven interfaces, and more.

This new version also consolidates separate accessibility standards—such as those for authoring tools and user agents—into a single, more comprehensive framework. The aim is simple: to create a flexible, user-focused standard that can keep pace with rapid changes in digital technology.

New Guidelines For New Experiences

Technology is no longer limited to static web pages. People interact with brands through mobile apps, wearables, smart speakers, and immersive environments. WCAG 3.0 acknowledges this reality by widening its scope beyond traditional web content.

This change ensures accessibility guidelines remain relevant in an era where digital interaction happens in countless forms. Whether you’re designing an app, building a VR environment, or developing an AI-powered service, WCAG 3.0 is designed to guide you in creating experiences that are inclusive by design. In many cases, interfaces are no longer simply visual, and WCAG 3.0 will address this by introducing guidelines for voice-activated tools and wearable devices.

Holistic Testing

One of the biggest changes is the shift from purely technical compliance checks to holistic testing. Instead of relying only on automated or checklist-based reviews, WCAG 3.0 encourages testing that includes real users (particularly people with disabilities) as well as usability experts and assistive technology evaluations.

This approach helps teams better understand the lived experience of accessibility, highlighting issues that technical tests might miss. For organisations, it also means accessibility is no longer a box-ticking exercise but an ongoing commitment to user-centred design. This is a welcome update, and crucial to creating solutions that actually improve the experience of the end user.

Outcomes To Replace Pass/Fail Criteria

In WCAG 2.x, success criteria were largely pass or fail. WCAG 3.0 replaces this with outcomes that can be partially met and scored along a scale. This brings more nuance into accessibility evaluation.

For example, instead of saying a site either meets or fails a colour contrast requirement, outcomes allow for grading how well it supports different levels of accessibility. This flexibility acknowledges that accessibility exists on a spectrum and encourages continuous improvement rather than minimal compliance.

At AccessPoint, we have often argued that improvements are worth making regardless of compliance level, and this change will reflect that attitude.

New Compliance Levels

WCAG’s traditional, and slightly confusing, A, AA, and AAA levels are being replaced with a new tiered system: Bronze, Silver, and Gold.

• Bronze will represent a baseline of accessibility, roughly equivalent to today’s WCAG 2.1 AA compliance.
• Silver introduces higher standards, including requirements for holistic testing and broader user inclusion.
• Gold is aimed at organisations striving for accessibility excellence, requiring the highest level of effort and commitment.
  
   

This new structure encourages organisations not just to meet minimum standards but to aim higher and deliver outstanding accessible experiences for end users.

Keeping It Simple

Finally, WCAG 3.0 emphasises clarity. The guidelines are being rewritten in plain language, making them easier to understand for content creators, designers, and developers—not just technical specialists. By reducing jargon and offering more actionable instructions, WCAG 3.0 lowers the barrier for teams to adopt accessibility best practices.

In summary: WCAG 3.0 is more than an update to existing guidelines. It’s about rethinking how we approach accessibility, expanding coverage to new technologies, embracing holistic testing, replacing binary criteria with nuanced outcomes, and simplifying compliance levels. For any organisation that values inclusive design, this will be a welcome change to accessibility testing.