What is a mobile web accessibility checker?

A mobile web accessibility checker is an automated tool that loads your website in a real phone-sized viewport and scans it for accessibility issues that specifically affect mobile users — such as tap targets that are too small, content that requires horizontal scrolling, and text that breaks when spacing is increased.

Why does mobile accessibility need separate testing from desktop?

A page can pass on desktop but fail on mobile. On a small screen, layouts reflow, buttons shrink, menus collapse, and elements overlap. Issues like tiny touch targets, horizontal scrolling, and cut-off text only appear at mobile widths, so they are missed by a desktop-only scan.

What viewport does the mobile scan use?

The checker emulates a real modern smartphone at a 390px-wide viewport with touch enabled, so the page is tested exactly as a phone renders it. Content reflow is additionally verified at the official 320px WCAG test width.

What mobile-specific issues does the checker detect?

It detects small touch targets (WCAG 2.5.8 and 2.5.5), content that does not reflow and forces horizontal scrolling (WCAG 1.4.10), text clipped by increased text spacing (WCAG 1.4.12), orientation locking (WCAG 1.3.4), plus standard checks like color contrast, missing labels, alt text, and heading structure.

What is the minimum touch target size on mobile?

WCAG 2.5.8 (Level AA) requires interactive targets to be at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels. WCAG 2.5.5 (Level AAA) recommends an enhanced size of at least 44 by 44 CSS pixels. The checker reports both so you know which controls are hard to tap.

What is content reflow and why does it matter on mobile?

Reflow (WCAG 1.4.10) means content should stack and fit within the screen width without forcing users to scroll sideways to read. On mobile, poor reflow makes pages frustrating or unusable, especially for people who zoom in. The checker flags any page that requires horizontal scrolling at 320px.

Is the mobile web accessibility checker free?

Yes. Single-page mobile scans are completely free — no signup, no email, and no credit card required.

Does mobile accessibility affect SEO and rankings?

Indirectly, yes. Google uses mobile-first indexing, and many accessibility best practices — readable text, tap-friendly buttons, no horizontal scrolling, clear structure — overlap with mobile usability signals that improve user experience and engagement.

Can this tool test my native mobile app?

No. The checker tests mobile websites and responsive web pages as viewed in a mobile browser. Native iOS and Android apps require separate app accessibility testing tools.

What is the difference between automated and manual mobile testing?

Automated testing catches roughly 30-40% of issues, including touch target size, reflow, contrast, and structure. The rest — such as gesture alternatives, screen reader (VoiceOver / TalkBack) behavior, and focus order — require manual testing.

How often should I test my site on mobile?

Every time you ship new code or change your layout. Because most traffic is now mobile, regular mobile scanning helps you catch responsive regressions and new issues early.

Mobile Web Accessibility Checker

Test your website the way a phone sees it. Catch mobile-only problems — sideways scrolling, tiny tap targets, orientation locks — mapped to WCAG 2.2.

Website URL

Note: Public pages are scanned first. If protected pages are detected, you'll see options for authenticated scanning

WCAG Conformance Target

Scan Depth

Built for: WCAG 2.1/2.2 ADA Title III Section 508 EAA (European Accessibility Act) AODA

Powered by axe-core, the same rule engine behind Deque, axe DevTools and Siteimprove.Scan a single page in seconds or crawl your whole site — and get a score your team and your clients actually understand.

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What is mobile web accessibility?

More than half of all web traffic now comes from phones. A page that works on a desktop can still fail on a small screen: text can spill off the side, buttons can be too small to tap, and menus can trap people who zoom in. Mobile web accessibility means your site is usable on a phone by everyone — including people who use screen readers, larger text, or who rely on touch. This checker loads your site at a real mobile size and flags the issues that only appear there.

What this checker tests on mobile

Reflow / sideways scrolling (WCAG 1.4.10) — Finds content that is wider than the screen and forces users to scroll left and right to read it.
Tap target size (WCAG 2.5.8) — Flags buttons, links and controls that render smaller than 24×24 pixels, which are hard to tap accurately on a touch screen.
Orientation lock (WCAG 1.3.4) — Detects pages that force portrait or landscape and don't work when the phone is rotated.
Colour & contrast — Checks text and non-text contrast as they actually render on the mobile layout.
Forms & labels — Inputs without labels, missing autocomplete hints, and unclear error messages on mobile forms.
Structure, links & ARIA — Heading order, landmark regions, unclear link text, and misused ARIA — checked in the mobile view.

Why mobile accessibility matters

Most users reach your site on a phone, and accessibility rules such as the ADA, Section 508, the European Accessibility Act and WCAG 2.2 apply to the mobile experience just as much as the desktop one. Fixing mobile issues early avoids complaints, legal risk, and lost customers — and it simply makes your site nicer to use for everyone.

Frequently asked questions

It is a tool that loads your website the way a phone does — a narrow screen with touch — and checks it against accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2). It finds problems that only show up on small screens, such as content that scrolls sideways or buttons that are too small to tap.

A desktop scan renders your site at a wide screen size. This scan renders it at a real mobile size (about 390px wide) with touch enabled, so it can catch mobile-specific issues like reflow (WCAG 1.4.10) and small tap targets (WCAG 2.5.8) that a desktop scan cannot see.

No. This tests mobile WEBSITES — your responsive site or web app viewed in a mobile browser. It does not test native Android or iOS apps, which need a different kind of testing.

Reflow / horizontal scrolling, tap-target size, orientation locking, colour contrast, missing labels and alt text, heading structure and ARIA problems can be checked automatically. Some things — real screen-reader behaviour, gestures and physical touch precision — still need manual testing on a real device.

Yes, you can run a mobile accessibility scan for free. Deeper multi-page crawls and advanced reports are available on paid plans.