Accessibility Fixes I Made That Took 10 Minutes and Helped Real People

Accessibility isn't a side quest. It's just… the main quest, except nobody gives you XP until you break something. Here are fixes that are genuinely "10 minutes" and actually help real people.

1) Visible focus (keyboard users exist)

If you remove focus rings, you're basically telling keyboard users "good luck, champ." Ensure interactive elements have a clear :focus-visible state.

2) Use semantic HTML (free a11y, no subscription)

• Use <button> for buttons, not <div onClick>.
• Use <nav>, <main>, <header>, <footer>.
• Headings in order (H1 → H2 → H3), not “whatever looks big.”

3) Label your inputs (screens readers aren't telepathic)

Every input needs a label: <label htmlFor> or aria-label if you truly can't show text. Placeholder text is not a label; it's a suggestion that disappears.

4) Color contrast (pretty is optional, readable isn't)

Check contrast for text and UI controls. Tailwind makes it easy to accidentally ship “zinc-400 on zinc-200” and call it minimalist.

5) Link text that makes sense out of context

“Click here” is useless when a screen reader lists links. Use descriptive text like “Read the SEO checklist” or “View resume.”

6) Reduced motion (not everyone wants the cinema experience)

If your UI has animations, respect prefers-reduced-motion. You can still be stylish without making users nauseous.

7) Images need alt text (and "image" isn't helpful)

• Decorative images: empty alt (alt="").
• Meaningful images: describe what matters in context.

8) Don't trap focus in modals/menus

If you open a dialog, focus should move into it, and keyboard users should be able to escape. Focus traps are a real thing. They are also how your website becomes a haunted house.

Quick sanity checks

• Tab through the entire page.
• Turn on VoiceOver/Narrator for 2 minutes.
• Run Lighthouse a11y and fix the easy stuff.

The trade-off: a11y work is iterative. You'll "fix it" and then discover three more things. Congratulations— you've unlocked the infinite backlog, but at least your site is usable.