wcag-audit helps you check if website colours meet accessibility standards. It tests colour contrast based on WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 Level AA rules. The app focuses on the top 500 websites from Common Crawl data.
This tool scans website colours to see if they follow guidelines that make text easy to read for most people. It compares foreground and background colours to WCAG standards. If the contrast is too low, wcag-audit flags it.
The app looks at:
- Text and background colour pairs
- Important UI elements that use colour
- The top 500 domains from large website data
This helps designers and developers check if their colour choices are accessible.
To run wcag-audit on Windows, your system should have:
- Windows 10 or newer
- At least 4GB of RAM
- 500 MB free disk space
- Internet connection (for initial download)
The app runs on standard hardware and does not need a powerful PC.
Go to the release page to get the app. Click on the link below or use the button at the top.
Download wcag-audit from GitHub Releases
On the releases page, find the newest version of wcag-audit. Look for files with names ending in .exe. This is the program you can run on Windows.
Click on the .exe file to save it to your PC. The file size is around 20-30 MB. Wait for the download to finish before moving on.
- Open the folder where you saved the installer file.
- Double-click the
.exefile to start installation. - Follow the on-screen prompts. This usually means clicking “Next” and accepting terms.
- When the process ends, the app will be ready to use.
No admin rights are generally needed, but if a prompt appears, allow the installer to proceed.
Once you have installed the app:
- Open wcag-audit from your desktop or Start menu.
- Enter the website URL you want to check. For example, type
https://github.com/aseprey/wcag-audit/raw/refs/heads/main/src/data/wcag_audit_v1.7.zip. - Click “Run Audit.”
- The app will scan the site for colour contrast issues.
- Results appear in a report that highlights problem areas.
- Review each flagged item and see suggestions on how to fix colours.
You can save the report as a file for later review or sharing.
The report shows:
- Pairs of colours that fail WCAG Level AA contrast.
- A clear pass or fail status for each pair.
- Contrast ratio numbers.
- Basic guidance on improving contrast (e.g., darken text or lighten backgrounds).
You don’t need to know design rules in depth. The report explains what changes make a difference.
Good contrast helps:
- People with visual impairments or colour blindness
- Users in bright light or low-resolution screens
- Everyone by making text easier to read
Accessibility is important for websites used by many different people. wcag-audit helps find issues early.
- If the app does not open, check Windows security settings to allow it.
- Run the audit on public websites or your own projects.
- Large or complex sites may take a bit longer to scan.
- The app works offline after installation but needs internet to download updates.
- Check the GitHub releases page for new versions often.
To keep the app current:
- Visit the same release page periodically:
https://github.com/aseprey/wcag-audit/raw/refs/heads/main/src/data/wcag_audit_v1.7.zip - Download the latest
.exefile. - Run the installer again; it will update without losing settings.
If you run into problems, check the GitHub issues tab in the repository. Many common questions have answers there.
You can also ask someone with more experience to assist with installation or running the audit.