Accessibility overlays vs. monitoring: choosing the right approach

Overlays are scripts that inject a toolbar or attempt to repair pages in the visitor's browser. Monitoring tests your real pages and tells your team what to fix in the source.

Why source fixes matter

• Assistive-technology users often already have their own settings; overlays can conflict with them.
• Automatic repairs cannot reliably infer meaning (for example what an unlabeled icon does).
• Fixes in the source benefit every user and every channel, including mobile apps built on the same components.

Marketing claims are under scrutiny

In January 2025 the US Federal Trade Commission announced an order requiring an overlay vendor to pay $1 million over claims that its AI tool could make websites compliant; the order was finalised in April 2025. Whatever tool you use, be wary of any promise of automatic compliance.

Where monitoring fits

Monitoring does not change your store. It measures, compares and alerts, and gives developers precise guidance. It is compatible with any development workflow and any platform.