Joomla has taken web accessibility more seriously than most content management systems. Joomla 4 and 5 ship with WCAG 2.1 Level AA as a stated goal for the core and the default templates, and the project maintains an accessibility statement for the software itself. That is a genuinely strong foundation, and it is not the same thing as an accessible website.
What you build on top of the core decides the outcome: the template you choose, the extensions you install, and the content your editors publish. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance is an obligation that sits with you as the Joomla site owner. UserWay’s Joomla Accessibility Widget addresses many common Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) issues automatically and supports your ADA compliance efforts from the day you install it. It is a starting point, not an end state.
Is Joomla ADA compliant?
No. Joomla is not ADA compliant by default, and ADA compliance is not a setting you can switch on.
The Joomla project builds its core and default templates against WCAG 2.1 Level AA, which puts a Joomla site ahead of many alternatives on day one. But the project cannot make your site accessible, because conformance depends on your template, your extensions and your content—none of which the core controls.
WCAG 2.2 Level AA has been the current Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C) recommendation since October 2023. In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) set WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard for state and local government websites under ADA Title II; private-sector settlements most commonly reference WCAG 2.1 Level AA. If your site serves the European market, EN 301 549 applies and references WCAG at the same level.
No automated tool or accessibility widget can make a Joomla site fully ADA compliant or fully WCAG conformant on its own. That is true of every vendor in this category, including us. Full accessibility compliance requires fixing issues in the underlying template and content. The UserWay Accessibility Widget addresses many common WCAG issues and supports your ADA compliance efforts; manual audits surface the code-level issues automation cannot detect.
How to make your Joomla site WCAG conformant
There is no checklist that ends in a certificate. No government body certifies a website as ADA compliant, and no vendor can confer one. The following tips can help you get started moving your Joomla site toward WCAG 2.2 Level AA conformance and providing equal access for all visitors.
Start from an accessible template.
Cassiopeia, the Joomla 4 and 5 default, was built against WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Third-party templates vary enormously. If you are choosing one, check whether the developer publishes a conformance statement rather than a marketing claim.
Use Joomla’s built-in accessibility checker.
Joomla 4 introduced an editor-level accessibility check that flags common issues as you write—missing alternative text, poor contrast, skipped heading levels. It is off by default in some Joomla templates. Turn it on for every content editor.
Fix alternative text in the Media Manager.
Every meaningful image needs a description written for someone who cannot see it; decorative images should carry empty alt text so screen readers skip them.
Check color contrast in your template settings.
Body text needs at least 4.5:1 contrast against its background, and large text at least 3:1, for WCAG 2.2 Level AA conformance.
Fix heading structure in your articles.
Use one H1 per page, with headings in order, used for structure rather than styling. Joomla’s editor makes it easy to style text as a heading for visual reasons—that is the failure to be mindful of.
Test with a keyboard alone.
Move through the site with Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter and the arrow keys. Watch for dropdown menus that cannot be opened, modals that cannot be dismissed with Escape, and focus that disappears.
Audit your extensions.
Joomla’s extension directory is large and uneven. Sliders, form builders, cookie notices and gallery extensions inject their own markup and are a frequent source of keyboard traps and unlabeled controls.
Label every form field.
Placeholder text is not a label. Each field needs a visible, programmatically associated label, and error messages need to say what went wrong and how to fix it.
Obtain a manual audit.
Automated tooling cannot judge whether alternative text is meaningful or whether a custom flow is usable end to end. A manual audit surfaces the code-level issues automation cannot detect.
Publish an accessibility statement.
State the web accessibility standard you are working toward, what you have done, what is outstanding, and how someone can reach you if they hit a barrier.
How to install UserWay’s Joomla Accessibility Widget on your website
The UserWay Accessibility Widget addresses many common WCAG issues automatically and supports your ADA compliance efforts from day one. It also gives visitors personalization controls for text sizing, contrast, and spacing that help improve website usability. Installation is covered below for both Joomla 3 and Joomla 4.
This installation guide will take you through the steps to install UserWay’s Joomla accessibility plugin on your website. We’ll cover two approaches: installation as a Joomla extension, and manual installation.
Before you get started, be sure to know which Joomla version you are using, as your installation instructions will vary based on the version. If you are unsure as to which Joomla version you have, log in to the backend of your website, go to “System,” and select “System Information.” This screen contains all the system information you may need, including the Joomla version currently running.
Please note that Joomla 3 is no longer supported. The Joomla 4 and 5 instructions apply to current installations—leaving the Joomla 3 steps in place for sites that have not yet migrated.
Joomla extension installation guide
The most straightforward way to add the UserWay Accessibility Widget to your Joomla site is to install it as a Joomla extension.
Step 1: Find and install the UserWay extension
In the Joomla control panel, go to the left navigation bar menu and scroll down to click on “Install Extensions.” On the page that opens, go to the tab at the top of the page and click “Install from Web.” In the search bar, type in “UserWay” and click on the magnifying glass on the screen or press “Enter” of “Return” on your keyboard.
The UserWay extension will appear on the screen. Click it, and scroll down to “Download” to download the file.
Go back to the top of the page and select the tab “Upload package file.” This will install the accessibility plugin file. Here, you will drag and drop the file into the large section on the page, or you can browse your computer to upload the file from there.
Step 2: Enable the UserWay extension
On the left navigation bar, select “Manage” and type “UserWay” in the query bar, and search for the extension.
You’ll either find a red “X”or a green checkmark in the list of items. You will likely find a green checkmark because the UserWay extension should be enabled by default. However, if you find a red “X”, click on the toggle switch to enable the UserWay extension and turn the red “X” into a green checkmark.
Step 3: Configure the UserWay extension
To configure your UserWay extension, you’ll need to go to the top of the page and select “Components” from the navigation menu. Once you click it, select “UserWay Configuration” from the dropdown menu.
If this is the first time you’ve installed the UserWay Widget, you will find a registration form. You can register for UserWay with your Google account or email address. Click on the “Next” button to progress.
If you have already registered your website on UserWay.org, and click “Sign In.” after inputting your login credentials.
Step 4: Enable the UserWay Widget
Scroll down to the “On/Off” button and toggle it to enable UserWay’s Joomla plugin.
Here, you will be able to decide which widget features are right for your website. Consider upgrading to the more robust UserWay Pro Widget, depending on your needs.
Step 5: Customize your Widget
You’ll now have the opportunity to customize the size, color, and position of the UserWay Widget button on your webpage. Don’t forget to save your edits by clicking “Save Settings” before leaving the customization page.
Step 6: Generate your accessibility statement
At the top of the “Settings” page, search for the top menu that looks similar to a long oval. You will be in the “Your Widget” tab, but you’ll want to select the “Accessibility Statement” tab. Here, you can enter your information and click “Generate My Accessibility Statement.” Your statement will be sent to you immediately.
You can also explore the other tabs like “Report & Docs” and “Videos & Tutorials.” For more information, head over to the UserWay website for more details on UserWay services.
Step 7: Preview your website
Preview your website and webpages to ensure your Widget has been installed and working correctly.
Joomla accessibility plugin manual installation guide
Step 1: Register your website and get your unique code snippet
Register your Joomla website with UserWay by going to UserWay.org and clicking on the “Start Free Trial” button at the top right corner. You will be taken through a list of steps to complete the registration process. You can register with your Google account or email address.
Copy your unique code snippet to your clipboard or save it as a text file. We will also email it to you in your welcome email. Find more information on how to get your unique code snippet at UserWay’s “Get Your Unique Code” blog post.
If you have already registered a website with UserWay, you will use the same unique code, and you can add your new website to your list.
Step 2: Add your unique code to your website’s code in Joomla
On the Joomla website, click on the “System” button on your dashboard’s left navigation bar. On the next page, click “Site Templates,” which will bring up your website’s template settings. Click on the name of the template. Search for “index.php” on the left-side navigation bar, and select it.
On the next page, you will find your website’s code. Navigate to the end of the code to find the body-closing tag. Select the “</body>” tag and press “Enter” on your keyboard several times. Navigate to one of the new lines and “Paste” the closing tag.
To save this, click on the green “Save” button at the top left of the page.
Step 3: Preview your website
Don’t forget to preview your website to ensure that you correctly made your changes and that the UserWay Widget works as intended.
Step 4: Customize your Widget
To customize your Widget options, you can log in two different ways. You can either sign in directly through your Widget or by going to manage.userway.org to get into your dashboard.
All your Widget customization options can be made at either location, allowing you to change the size, position, and color of your Widget icon.
If your website requires more accessibility options, you can also upgrade from the free Joomla accessibility plugin to the UserWay Pro Widget.
Start building an accessible website on Joomla
Installing UserWay gets the Widget live on your Joomla site to enhance accessibility. However, it’s a starting point, not the finish line. Scan your website for common accessibility issues to identify gaps, then talk to UserWay about a manual audit for code-level ADA compliance support.
