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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsLighthouse can help you find accessibility problems in a page, but a passing score is not proof that the page is accessible. Four useful places to start are text contrast, accessible names for buttons and links, form labels, and image alternative text. They are common audit areas—not an official universal top four.
What Lighthouse accessibility failures tell you
Lighthouse runs automated audits on a web page and provides references explaining why an audit matters and how to address it. A failed audit is an actionable indicator, not a complete accessibility verdict. Its accessibility audits pass or fail, are weighted using axe user-impact assessments, and can fail when just one instance of the issue is found. The audit list covers a broad range of content, semantics, and interaction checks, including contrast, names, labels, alt text, language, landmarks, heading order, and ARIA. Chrome’s Lighthouse overview and accessibility scoring documentation explain the scope and scoring.
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There is one narrow prevalence figure worth putting in context: Chrome DevTools reported that 83.9% of the top million home pages had low-contrast text in February 2022, citing WebAIM Million 2022. That measurement applies to those home pages and that date; it does not establish that these four failures occur on almost every site. Chrome DevTools calls low contrast “the top accessibility issue on the web.”
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1. Fix insufficient text contrast
If text blends into its background, some visitors may struggle to read it. Lighthouse includes an audit for sufficient foreground/background contrast. In Chrome DevTools, inspect the text color and use the color picker’s contrast ratio and suggested colors to adjust the foreground or background. Check the relevant text against the applicable contrast requirement rather than applying one threshold to every text category. The DevTools contrast guide shows the contrast interface.
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2. Give buttons and links accessible names
Interactive controls need a concise name that communicates their purpose to assistive technology. A button or link made only of an icon should not depend on its visual appearance to explain what it does. Lighthouse checks accessible names for buttons, links, and menu items, and flags buttons without accessible names. After correcting the markup, use a screen reader to verify the control’s name, role, and state. Chrome notes: “Vague labels are common, and they are non-helpful for navigating content.” Its interactive-elements guide discusses the audit.
3. Associate form controls with labels
Give each input or select a meaningful visible label and connect it to that control in the markup. A placeholder is not a substitute for a label: it may disappear as the visitor enters a value and does not provide the same persistent cue. Lighthouse checks form elements and select elements for associated labels. For example, a standard HTML pattern is:
<label for="email-address">Email address</label>
<input id="email-address" name="email" type="email">Use a unique matching for and id for each control. Rerun the audit, then confirm that the label gives the control a clear accessible name.
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4. Choose appropriate alternative text for images
Lighthouse flags images without an alt attribute and image input controls without alternative text. For an informative image, write alt text that conveys the relevant information in the context of the page—not its filename or a generic description. For a purely decorative image, use an empty value, alt="", so it does not add noise for screen-reader users. The right choice depends on the image’s role and nearby content.
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Check the page with a keyboard and screen reader
Keyboard check
Use Tab to move through the page. Confirm that interactive controls are reachable, focus follows a logical order, and the focused control is visibly indicated. Prefer native semantic elements when they fit the interaction; for example, use a <button> for a button rather than making a <div> act like one. Chrome’s guidance is direct: “Using built-in HTML elements can greatly improve the accessibility of your site, and significantly cut down on your workload.” See its logical tab order guide.
Screen-reader check
Move through the controls with a screen reader and confirm that each announces a useful name, its role, and its state. This can reveal problems an automated score does not establish. Chrome recommends visual and screen-reader testing alongside automated checks.
Rerun Lighthouse after changes
Run a fresh Lighthouse accessibility audit on the page you changed and confirm that the relevant findings clear. Then keep the manual keyboard and screen-reader checks: fixing the reported issue improves the page, but the score alone cannot verify every accessibility need.
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