When we think about digital accessibility, the phrase that usually comes to mind first is website accessibility. In this article, we want to shine a light on an equally common and important digital asset: mobile apps.
We browse the internet on our smartphones just as much as on our computers, and many businesses or services exist on mobile exclusively as an app rather than a browser-based website (think Yelp, DoorDash, or parking apps). These apps need to be just as accessible to people with disabilities as any website.
Mobile app accessibility, much like website accessibility, aims to provide full access to digital services and content for every user who wants to use them.
Building accessible apps — or retrofitting existing ones — ensures that every user can get the most out of them, whether that means navigating through screens, reading content, or anything else.
As we always say in our articles: beyond the legal requirements that obligate businesses and organizations to make their apps accessible, this is a genuine right — a right to equal opportunity and a comfortable, fully functional experience for everyone. Every person deserves to use your app.
Types of Mobile Apps
When we talk about app accessibility, what exactly do we mean?
We generally distinguish between three different types.
Responsive Websites
Since a website lives in both a desktop browser and a mobile browser, when we make a website accessible we must ensure that accessibility works on the mobile version too.
This isn't technically an app, but the mobile version of a website functions much like one — so it's worth mentioning here.
When making a website accessible, we must verify that everything works on both the desktop and mobile versions.
In most cases we rarely see accessibility issues on the mobile version, because once a site is made accessible on desktop, the fixes generally carry over to the mobile browser as well.
That said, when in doubt, check it out. It's always worth testing the mobile version separately. There will be cases where individual components need their own targeted fixes on mobile.
Hybrid Apps
A hybrid app is essentially a website that has been wrapped inside an app shell — something you can actually download from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
These platforms pull content from the underlying website and present it in an app format.
In many cases we encounter significant accessibility issues that need to be addressed. Quite often we find that the wrapper layer blocks key accessibility features.
So if you choose this approach to create a hybrid app, don't assume that because your website is accessible in a browser, that accessibility will automatically transfer to the app. Test the app directly — make sure there are no errors or masking layers that could get in your users' way.
Native Apps
The third type is what most people picture when they think of an app — a true, fully native app that we all know and download from time to time.
This type deserves a section of its own.
Native App Accessibility
So what do we mean by similar and different? Let us explain in more depth.
What's the Same
With native apps, just as with websites, we need to ensure they support navigation and assistive technologies for users who rely on them.
For example, every image in the app must be accessible to screen readers that read out text and descriptions — what are known as ALT tags.
For a deeper look at the various topics and functions required for accessibility, you can read more here. Below we'll focus on what sets app accessibility apart from website accessibility.
What's Different
Unlike website accessibility, making a native app accessible requires a different workflow. With websites, we are the ones who carry out the remediation directly and write custom code fixes where needed. With native apps, however, we deliver a different product — an "accessibility gap report."
This report is a detailed document covering every aspect of the app's accessibility. It lays out all our findings and recommendations after we have thoroughly used the app, tested every feature, and exercised every function.
As an accessibility team, we don't have direct access to the app's source code and cannot modify it ourselves. We deliver the accessibility gap report to the app's development team, surface the issues, and guide them through the remediation process and the implementation of our recommendations.
Why Don't We Implement the Fixes Ourselves?
With native apps we generally cannot implement fixes independently, because every development team builds their app differently — but that doesn't prevent the app from reaching the level of accessibility required by law.
This is a fundamental difference between website accessibility and app accessibility. We advise, share tactics, and brainstorm solutions together with development teams. However, at the execution level — actually pushing changes into the product — the app's own engineering team must carry out the accessibility work.
Talk to Us
Do you have an app that needs to be made accessible and aren't sure where to start? Or are you planning to build an app and want to ensure it's accessible and inclusive from day one?
For any question or consultation, we at User A are happy to help. Give us a call or leave us a message on our website.