A11yMate for Shopify
Find accessibility problems on your storefront and fix them, with every problem explained in plain English. Here is how to use it, and how to reach us.
A11yMate for Shopify is coming to the Shopify App Store.
Getting started
- Install the app from the Shopify App Store and open it from Apps in your Shopify admin.
- If your store has a password (development stores and stores that aren't launched yet), copy it from Online Store > Preferences and save it in A11yMate under Settings, so the scan can see your pages.
- Run a scan. Open Scan and press Start scan. A11yMate checks your home page, cart, and a mix of collections, products, pages and blog posts. Some checks, such as colour contrast, text size and tap target size, run in your browser, so keep the tab open until it finishes.
- See what to fix. The Dashboard shows your score and what to fix first. Issues lists every problem.
Reading an issue
Every issue says why it matters to real people, what to change, and where to change it in a Shopify theme: in the theme editor's settings where possible, or with a hint for the Liquid or CSS involved. Problems that repeat across pages, such as one in your header, are grouped so you see them once. Some checks can only flag something for a person to look at, such as whether alt text describes the image well; those are marked as needing review and don't lower your score.
Safe fixes (Pro)
Pro includes small, low-risk improvements delivered through a theme app embed. They never change your theme code, products or pages, and you can switch each one off.
- A "Skip to content" link as the first thing a keyboard user reaches.
- A clear outline around whatever has keyboard focus, in a colour you choose.
- Calmer animation for visitors who ask their device to reduce motion.
- Underlined links in your content, so they don't rely on colour alone.
- Hidden text that tells screen reader users when a link opens a new tab.
- A page language, if your theme leaves it out.
To switch them on: in A11yMate, open Safe fixes > Open the theme editor, turn on A11yMate fixes under App embeds, and save. Back in A11yMate, press Check again to confirm it is on. They are a safety net, not a substitute for fixing the problems on the Issues page.
Plans
The Free plan checks up to 10 pages per scan with every check. Pro checks up to 300 pages per scan, adds the safe fixes and a weekly email summary, and starts with a free trial. The current price is on the app's Plan page and in the Shopify App Store listing; billing is handled by Shopify.
Support
Email hello@a11ymate.co.uk with your store's myshopify.com address and what you were doing. A person reads every message, usually within two working days.
Questions
Is A11yMate an overlay?
No. It finds real problems in your theme and content and tells you how to fix them. The optional safe fixes are small improvements delivered through a theme app embed, and we never present them as a way to make a store compliant.
Will it make my store compliant?
No tool can do that on its own. Automated checks find part of the problems; the rest, such as whether alt text is accurate, need a person. A11yMate finds what can be found automatically, marks what needs a person, and explains how to fix each one. That is the work the European Accessibility Act, the ADA and the UK Equality Act ask for.
Does it change my theme?
No. A11yMate never edits your theme code, products or pages. The safe fixes run from an app embed that you switch on and off in the theme editor, and it outputs nothing unless your plan includes them.
Why does it ask for my storefront password?
Development stores and stores that aren't launched yet are password-protected, so the scan can't see their pages without it. It is optional, stored encrypted, used only to fetch your own pages, and deleted when you uninstall. You can find it under Online Store > Preferences.
Some pages say "could not check". Why?
Shopify sometimes blocks automated visits to a store, and pages that need a login can't be checked. Try the scan again later. If it keeps happening, email us and we will look.
Which themes does it work with?
Any theme. The checks read your storefront as a visitor sees it, and the safe fixes are an app embed, which works with Online Store 2.0 and older themes alike.
What happens to my data when I uninstall?
The app's access to your store and your storefront password are deleted straight away. Your scans are deleted when Shopify tells us to erase your store's data, 48 hours after you uninstall. The privacy policy has the details.
Privacy: how the Shopify app handles data.