call Contact
accessibility_new Accessibility

TYPO3 & Accessibility

Accessibility means that all users, regardless of their individual abilities, can access the content of a website – an ethical as well as a legal obligation. TYPO3 provides an excellent technical foundation for this.

history Letzte Änderung: 20.08.2026

General Information on Accessibility

Implementing accessibility starts with a clear, simple layout and logical navigation, so users can quickly find the information they're looking for. Alt texts for images and video descriptions make content accessible to visually impaired users; clear, easy-to-read fonts and sufficient contrast between text and background are also important.

Another important measure is supporting keyboard operation: users with motor impairments cannot always use a mouse or touchpad and rely on clear keyboard navigation. ARIA labels also help mark up content for screen readers, so people with visual impairments can better understand and navigate content.

Beyond these technical measures, it's important to foster a positive attitude toward accessibility: involving users with disabilities in the development process, as well as regular accessibility testing and audits.

gavel

Legal status: Since 28 June 2025, the German Accessibility Strengthening Act (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz, BFSG) has also been in force. It extends the obligation for digital accessibility beyond public bodies to many private companies, especially online shops and digital services. We're happy to check whether and which requirements apply to your website.

Accessibility = Search Engine Optimization

Anyone who makes their website more accessible is simultaneously optimizing it for search engines. There are essentially two reasons for this:

  • Search engines want search results to be accessible to as wide a range of people as possible – an accessible website therefore usually ranks above an otherwise equivalent, less accessible website.
  • Search engine crawlers have no human perception and are extremely limited, especially semantically. Many measures that reduce barriers (e.g. alt text for images) therefore also benefit search crawlers, because they can "understand" the content better.

Standards and Guidelines

The worldwide standard for accessible websites is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. In Europe, the "Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services" apply, which also form the basis of Germany's Barrier-Free Information Technology Ordinance (BITV). Among other things, the BITV defines:

  • explanations in German Sign Language and Easy Language on the homepage of a public body
  • an accessibility statement that must be provided
  • the "highest possible degree" of accessibility for central navigation, entry points, and interactive offerings
  • accessibly designed PDF documents

Accessibility Checklist for TYPO3

The regulations and guidelines are extensive. We therefore list what we consider the most important points – please note that this list is not legally exhaustive.

checklist Checklist

Accessibility Checklist for TYPO3

  • keyboard_alt

    All pages can be fully operated and navigated using the keyboard.

  • route

    Every page has breadcrumb navigation.

  • skip_next

    There is a "skip to" function to skip repetitive content (e.g. the main navigation).

  • map

    A complete and clear sitemap is accessible from the website at all times.

  • title

    Every page has its own title and a meaningful meta description – maintained in TYPO3 via the page properties.

  • contrast

    The contrast between background and text color is sufficiently high.

  • format_list_numbered

    Texts are structured with headings and paragraphs, without skipping the heading hierarchy (e.g. h3 not directly after h1).

  • spellcheck

    Texts are written clearly and grammatically correctly.

  • text_increase

    The font size can be increased on every page.

  • link

    Links are clearly recognizable and give an understandable indication of their target.

  • image

    Images and tables have a meaningful description (alt text or table summary).

  • closed_caption

    All media (audio, video) have a description, a heading, and – where possible – a transcript.

  • play_disabled

    Media can be controlled by the user (stop, start, mute) and does not start automatically.

  • flag

    Visitors have the option to report barriers.

  • record_voice_over

    For legally obligated organizations (public authorities and other public bodies), we recommend carrying out an official BITV test – this checklist alone is not sufficient for high requirements.

  • sign_language

    Public bodies additionally provide explanations in German Sign Language and Easy Language (see BITV).

Is your website accessible?

We check for free whether and which requirements apply to your website, and point out concrete optimization measures.

chat Free Consultation