Mobile Accessibility and You
Summary
You may be familiar with desktop screen readers like JAWS, and desktop voice control like Dragon Naturally speaking. You might know about WCAG, and popular automated testing tools for your websites. But what about mobile apps? How do accessibility techniques apply on the touch screen? As the entire world moves mobile first, your accessibility strategy needs to adapt. In this talk, we’ll introduce you to some of the changes that doing mobile-first accessibility correctly requires. We’ll cover some of the most popular assistive technologies on mobile, give you tips for automated and manual testing of your mobile apps, warn you of some of the pitfalls to watch for, and help you bring your mobile accessibility strategy to the next level.
Key Insights
-
•
Mobile devices have a lead in built-in accessibility features compared to desktops due to first-party OS integration.
-
•
Mobile offers accessibility advantages like accurate GPS, integrated dictation, and facial recognition unavailable or less reliable on desktop.
-
•
Simplified mobile interfaces benefit users sensitive to distractions because of less screen real estate and forced design minimalism.
-
•
People with disabilities often switch between mobile and desktop to choose the best tool for specific tasks.
-
•
Mobile accessibility is easier for developers because there are fewer screen reader versions and browsers to support.
-
•
Standardized accessibility APIs and tools on iOS and Android reduce variability and unexpected issues during testing.
-
•
Seamless handoff between mobile and desktop improves accessibility, especially for complex tasks like longer text input.
-
•
Emerging technologies like augmented reality pose new accessibility challenges not yet fully addressed.
-
•
WCAG guidelines already cover mobile interactions and are expanding to better address mobile-specific nuances.
-
•
Built-in apps from Apple and Android generally provide exemplary accessibility experiences, setting a high bar for third-party apps.
Notable Quotes
"Mobile accessibility features are built in and ready to go without needing to install or configure anything extra."
"For many users with disabilities, mobile is the best experience for the job because of its accessibility affordances."
"Mobile screens have forced designers to create simplified interfaces without reducing features."
"The cognitive load saved by not having to manage security software on mobile phones is a huge accessibility win."
"There’s just far fewer variables to deal with on mobile because it’s basically one browser and one screen reader per platform."
"If you want an accessible app on iOS and Android, using the standard native APIs and controls will get you there."
"Mobile screen readers can confirm basic accessibility but desktop testing is still needed due to differences across tools."
"Augmented reality is an entirely new paradigm and we haven’t quite figured out accessibility for that yet."
"Every app built into my phone is perfect when it comes to accessibility – Apple and Android set a strong example."
"Starting your accessibility efforts on mobile makes the process simpler and easier to reuse when expanding to other platforms."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Roles are evolving with automation, but the shift toward skills is what will define future jobs."
Lavy Kumar Kat Temple Shan Sebastian Tara Jensen Jenn ChouFuture of Work
June 9, 2021
"I’m most excited to get back in the office because I miss that culture and feeling like I’m working with friends every day."
Andreas Huebner Amy Takata Craig BrookesWhat Is It Like To Be Part of The UX Team at Compass?
March 11, 2021
"Customers can answer what the researcher wants to hear in surveys, making attitude only 28% predictive of real behavior."
Ricardo MartinsUnlocking the power of advanced quantitative methods
March 12, 2025
"Satya Nadella’s leadership feels authentic—he puts empathy at the center of everything he does."
Monty HammontreeThe Future of UX Research
December 3, 2020
"We need to share the importance of design ops visibly so everyone understands their role in enabling design success."
Benjamin RealShowing the Value of DesignOps by Not Having a DesignOps Team
October 21, 2020
"Some people have been doing research ops a lot longer than the term has existed."
Kate TowseyAsk Me Anything (AMA) with Kate Towsey
April 2, 2025
"When you look at data without training, confirmation bias makes you just find what you already believe."
Steve Portigal Chris Chapo Kelly Goto Christian RohrerDiscussion
May 13, 2015
"Accessible experiences are better experiences for everyone whether you are a person with a disability or not."
Sam ProulxOnline Shopping: Designing an Accessible Experience
March 28, 2023
"Hover is very difficult for users who use switch systems or head mice because they can only click or not click and have trouble holding steady to hover."
Sam ProulxPrototype Reviews, People With Disabilities, and You
October 1, 2021
