Mobile Accessibility Testing
Overview
The Mobile Accessibility Testing feature allows you to identify accessibility issues within your native iOS and Android apps before they go live. Whether you're a developer, designer, QA engineer, or product manager, this solution provides an efficient and integrated way to test mobile accessibility early in the development lifecycle.
With platform-specific workflows designed for both Android and iOS, Mobile Accessibility Testing helps you:
- Get accessibility insights during development
- Share actionable reports with your team
- Prevent costly accessibility issues post-release
- Support your compliance efforts with WCAG and local legislation
Rules Checked During Mobile Accessibility Testing
Siteimprove Mobile Accessibility Testing automatically evaluates your Android and iOS apps against a growing set of accessibility rules derived from native platform guidelines (Android Jetpack Compose and SwiftUI).
These rules help identify issues that may affect users relying on assistive technologies such as TalkBack and VoiceOver.
| Rule | What it checks | Why it matters | Android | iOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image missing an accessible name | Ensures that all images have meaningful accessible name that can be read by assistive technologies. | Without an accessible name, screen reader users may hear nothing or a confusing fallback (like a filename). | ✅ | ✅ |
| Touch target too small | Checks that all interactive elements meet minimum touch area sizes (44 × 44 dp). | Small or tightly spaced targets are hard to use for people with motor impairments or when using assistive devices. | ✅ | ✅ |
| Button missing an accessible name | Verifies that all buttons have a clear, descriptive accessible name. | Without a label, users relying on assistive tech cannot understand or activate buttons properly. | ✅ | ✅ |
Form element missing an accessible name | Ensures that all form fields include an accessible name describing their purpose. | Users may be unable to complete forms or understand field intent without accessible labels. | ✅ | ✅ |
Interactive element missing an accessible name | Ensures that all interactive elements, including custom controls, expose descriptive names. | Without them, users can’t understand what each element does or how to interact with it. | ❌ | ✅ |
Same accessible name, different purpose | Detects identical accessible names used for elements that perform different actions. | Inconsistent naming creates confusion for assistive technology users, leading to navigation or interaction errors. | ✅ | ✅ |
Visible label and accessible name do not match | Compares visible label text to the accessible name to ensure they match. | Inconsistencies confuse both screen reader and speech-input users (e.g.,“Send” vs “Submit Form”). | ✅ | ✅ |
Android: On-Device Accessibility Testing App
How it works
The Android solution consists of an installable app that enables in-app accessibility audits through a floating action button. Once installed, the app can be used to capture screens and test real-time user flows in development builds or production apps with accessibility permissions enabled.
Key Features
- Run accessibility checks in your native Android apps
- Capture one or multiple screens in a flow
- View detected accessibility issues by WCAG criteria
- Share downloadable reports with your team
- Works across roles: developers, PMs, designers, and testers
Getting Started
- Install the App – Download the app via the internal link or Google Play (coming soon).
- Log In – Use your Siteimprove credentials to authenticate.
- Grant Accessibility Permissions – Enable required accessibility permissions in your device settings.
- Start Testing – Use the floating action button to capture screens as you interact with the app.
- Generate Reports – Once done, export and share the report with your team.
For detailed installation and usage steps, see: Android Mobile Accessibility Testing – Configuration and Usage
iOS: Command-Line Based Accessibility Testing
How it works
The iOS solution is a command-line tool (macOS only) that integrates with Appium to connect to iOS simulators or real devices. By capturing screen states via terminal commands, developers can generate accessibility audits for specific flows.
Key Features
- Supports iOS simulators and real devices
- CLI-driven automation for flexible integration
- No app code changes required
- Compatible with CI/CD environments
- Generate and share audit reports for each flow
Getting Started
- Install Prerequisites – Make sure you have Xcode, Appium v2, and Homebrew installed.
- Install the Tool – Download the .dmg file and install the si-a11y tool.
- Authenticate – Provide your Siteimprove credentials via CLI arguments or environment variables.
- Capture Screens – Use CLI commands to define your app ID, flow name, and screen state.
- Generate Report – The output is a downloadable report that highlights WCAG compliance issues.
For detailed installation and usage steps, see: iOS Mobile Accessibility Testing - Installation and usage
Report Details
Both platforms generate a report that includes:
- Number and severity of issues
- Affected elements
- Recommendations to remediate issues
Each report can be exported and shared as part of your QA or release workflow, enabling collaborative resolution of accessibility issues across your team.
FAQs
Q: Is the Mobile Accessibility Testing feature available to all Siteimprove users?
A: Mobile Accessibility Testing is now available for all customers as an add-on feature. To learn more or add it to your subscription, please reach out to your Customer Success Manager.
Q: Are these tests automated or manual?
A: The feature enables automated issue detection during manual exploration of your app’s flows.
Q: What app frameworks do Mobile Accessibility Testing currently support?
A: Currently, Siteimprove Mobile Accessibility Testing supports only native apps built with Jetpack Compose (Android) and SwiftUI (iOS).
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