W3C updates guidance on using ARIA in HTML to improve web accessibility

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has published an updated version of ARIA in HTML, a technical specification that sets rules for using accessibility features known as Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) within HTML webpages.

ARIA is a set of attributes that developers can add to web elements to provide additional information about their purpose, state, or behaviour. This information can be used by assistive technologies, such as screen readers, to help people with disabilities understand and interact with websites and web applications.

For example, a developer may create a custom button, menu, dialogue box, or other interactive element that does not automatically provide enough information to assistive technologies. ARIA can be used to describe what that element is and how it works. However, ARIA needs to be used correctly. Adding an ARIA attribute where it is not permitted, or using it incorrectly, can make an interface more difficult for assistive technology users to navigate.

The updated ARIA in HTML specification, published by W3C on 11 August 2026, defines the rules that web developers should follow when using attributes from WAI-ARIA 1.2 and the Digital Publishing WAI-ARIA Module 1.1 with HTML elements.

The specification is particularly intended to support conformance checking tools. These are tools that examine websites and web applications to identify whether the code follows established technical and accessibility requirements. The updated rules give these tools clearer requirements for checking whether ARIA is being used appropriately.

The guidance applies both to standard HTML content and to custom interfaces and widgets. Developers can use ARIA to complement HTML’s existing accessibility features or to extend them when building more complex interfaces.

The update does not mean that developers should use ARIA everywhere. Native HTML elements already provide built-in accessibility information in many cases, and inappropriate use of ARIA can interfere with how assistive technologies interpret a webpage. The purpose of the specification is instead to establish clearer rules for situations where ARIA is used alongside HTML.

The update is part of W3C’s broader work on web accessibility. By defining how accessibility-related attributes should be applied in HTML, the specification provides developers and testing tools with a common technical reference for creating and evaluating accessible web content.