Accessibility widgets: what they can and can't do

What is an accessibility widget?

An accessibility widget is a small piece of JavaScript that a site owner adds to their pages. It shows a button, usually in a corner of the screen. When a visitor opens it, they get a panel of settings that change how the page looks or behaves for them.

You will also hear the word overlay, used for any third-party script that changes a site's front-end code to improve accessibility. Products work in two different ways:

• Visitor tools: settings that each visitor chooses for themselves, such as bigger text or a reading guide.
• Automatic repair: software, often sold as AI, that tries to find and fix code problems as the page loads, for example by guessing alt text or adding labels.

Accessonix is the first kind. It gives visitors tools. It does not scan your site, guess alt text or change your code.

What can an accessibility widget do for visitors?

A good widget gives people quick ways to adjust a page without digging through browser settings. Common tools include:

• Bigger text, more line and letter spacing, and a font that's easier to read
• Higher contrast, dark or light modes, and filters for color blindness
• Read aloud, a reading guide and a reading mask to help keep your place
• Stopping animations and muting sounds
• A bigger cursor and a stronger focus outline
• Lists of the page's headings and links, to jump around faster

These can help people with low vision, dyslexia or ADHD, and older adults who want larger text. Many of the same settings also exist in browsers and operating systems, and some people already use them. A widget is most useful for visitors who don't know about those settings or want a quick change on one site.

What can't an accessibility widget fix?

The most serious barriers are in a site's own code. A script running on top of the page can't reliably fix them:

• Missing or poor alt text. Only someone who knows why an image is there can describe it well. The image descriptions tool in Accessonix shows the alt text you wrote; it can't write it for you.
• Form fields without labels, and error messages that don't explain what went wrong.
• Missing headings, or headings chosen for their size instead of their meaning.
• Keyboard traps, and menus or buttons that only work with a mouse.
• Videos without captions, and documents such as PDFs that aren't accessible.
• Custom controls, such as sliders or pop-ups, that screen readers can't understand.

This is why a widget doesn't make a site conform to WCAG. The W3C notes that no tool alone can determine whether a site meets accessibility standards. Our guides on alt text and keyboard accessibility show how.

Why are accessibility overlays criticized?

Many accessibility experts and disabled users are critical of overlays. The Overlay Fact Sheet, a public statement with more than 1,000 signers, sets out the main concerns:

• No overlay product can make a website fully compliant with any accessibility standard.
• Automatic repair is unreliable for alt text, form labels and keyboard access.
• Automatic changes can slow pages down or change how a page behaves for people using screen readers and other assistive technology.
• Some products detect assistive technology or carry settings across websites, which raises privacy concerns.
• The visitor tools often repeat settings people already have on their own devices.

The statement also quotes disabled users who found sites harder to use with an overlay. These are fair points, and they are why we describe Accessonix as a set of optional tools, not a fix. Accessonix saves each visitor's settings in their own browser, with no visitor account and no cookies.

What did the FTC decide about accessiBe?

In January 2025, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a proposed order against accessiBe, which sells an overlay called accessWidget. On 22 April 2025, the FTC approved the final order, which requires the company to pay $1 million.

The FTC alleged that accessiBe's claims that its AI-powered tool could make any website WCAG compliant were false, misleading or unsupported. It also alleged that the company formatted third-party articles and reviews to look like independent opinions. The order bars accessiBe from claiming its automated products can make any website WCAG compliant unless it has evidence to back that up.

The lesson for site owners is simple: be careful with any product that promises compliance, legal protection or a 100% accessible site from one line of code.

How do you use an accessibility widget responsibly?

A widget can be a useful extra when it sits on top of a site that already works. Here is how to use one well:

1. Fix your code. Work through the website accessibility checklist, starting with keyboard access, forms, alt text and color contrast.
2. Get an audit from someone experienced with WCAG, covering key pages and tasks such as checkout.
3. Test with real people, including screen reader users, and fix what they find.
4. Be honest. Don't tell visitors or customers that a widget makes your site compliant. Publish an accessibility statement with a way to contact you.
5. Listen to visitors. Accessonix includes a Report a problem form, so visitors can tell you what isn't working. Then fix the issue in your code.
6. Check the widget itself. Its button and panel should work with a keyboard and a screen reader, and it should stay out of the way of people who don't use it.

Used this way, a widget gives visitors more choice without hiding the real work. You can see every tool in Accessonix on the features page or try it in the demo.