First audit
This guide walks you through your first accessibility audit with A11y Audit — WCAG 2.2.
Step 1 — Select a frame
Section titled “Step 1 — Select a frame”In your Figma file, click on the frame you want to audit. This can be a full screen, a component, or a section of your mockup.
The plugin analyzes all child elements of the selected frame: text, images, buttons, icons, links, etc.
Step 2 — Run the audit
Section titled “Step 2 — Run the audit”Open the plugin via Plugins → A11y Audit — WCAG 2.2.
In the plugin panel, verify that your frame name appears in the “Selected frame” field. Then click the “Audit this frame” button.
The analysis typically takes less than 5 seconds for a standard screen (< 200 elements). For very complex frames, it may take up to 15-20 seconds.
Step 3 — Read the results
Section titled “Step 3 — Read the results”Results appear in the plugin panel, organized by violation category and severity level:
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | Error — definite violation of a WCAG AA criterion |
| Orange | Warning — probable violation or criterion requiring manual check |
| Green | Criterion passes |
At the top of the panel, a compliance score shows the percentage of automatically verifiable criteria that pass.
Violation detail
Section titled “Violation detail”Each violation shows:
- The WCAG criterion (e.g.: 1.4.3 Contrast)
- The measured value vs the required value (e.g.: contrast ratio 2.1:1 vs required 4.5:1)
- The Figma layer name concerned
- A description of the fix needed
Step 4 — Navigate to a layer
Section titled “Step 4 — Navigate to a layer”Click on any violation in the list and Figma will automatically zoom to the relevant layer and select it in the layers panel.
This feature lets you quickly locate elements to fix in complex mockups.
Step 5 — Fix and re-audit
Section titled “Step 5 — Fix and re-audit”Once you’ve made your corrections in the mockup, click “Audit this frame” again to run a new audit. Fixed violations disappear from the list and the compliance score is updated.
Exporting results
Section titled “Exporting results”Once the audit is complete, you can:
- Click “Export PDF report” to generate a complete report to deliver to your client → PDF report guide
- Use auto-fix to automatically correct certain violations → Auto-fix guide
Limitations of automated auditing
Section titled “Limitations of automated auditing”The plugin automatically checks criteria that are algorithmically measurable. Some WCAG criteria require manual review by an accessibility expert:
- Logical reading order of content
- Relevance of alternative texts
- Navigation consistency across screens
- Accessibility of complex forms
The PDF report includes a checklist of these manual criteria to complete your audit.