Shopify accessibility: the eight fixes that matter
We scanned a set of Shopify stores. The same failures appeared on almost all of them, and most are fixed in the admin without touching theme code. Here is each one and where it lives.
1. Product images with no alt text, or the file name as alt
Where: Products, open the product, click the image under Media, then Edit alt text. Describe what is in the picture: "Navy wool coat, front view" rather than the product name again. For banners and slideshows: Online Store, Themes, Customize, click the section, and the image picker has an Alt text field. Purely decorative images should have empty alt text, which Shopify writes as alt="".
2. "Shop now" on every button
Screen reader users pull up a list of the links on a page. Twelve links that all say "Shop now" tell them nothing. Where: the section editor in Customize for buttons; Online Store, Navigation for menu items. Name the destination: "Shop the winter collection".
3. Grey text that fails contrast
Nearly every theme ships a secondary text colour that fails the 4.5:1 minimum on white. Where: Online Store, Themes, Customize, Theme settings, Colors. It is one colour, and changing it fixes every page.
4. Cookie and consent banners with div buttons
Some consent apps draw buttons as <div> elements. A keyboard or screen reader user cannot reach them, so the banner sits over the page for their whole visit. Where: the consent app's settings, or a different app. This one is worth checking with the keyboard: Tab to the banner and see whether the buttons take focus.
5. Headings used for size
"Heading 1" chosen because it looks right, not because it is the page title. Where: the paragraph-style dropdown in the page and product editors, Heading 1 to Heading 6, in order. One Heading 1 per page.
6. Page titles and descriptions
Where: every product, collection, page and post has Search engine listing at the bottom of its editor. The home page is under Online Store, Preferences. Each should be unique.
7. Video without captions
Shopify does not host caption files. Where: caption the video on YouTube or Vimeo and embed it, or burn captions in before uploading.
8. Focus that disappears
Some themes remove the focus outline for looks and add nothing back, which makes the store unusable by keyboard. Where: this one is theme code: Online Store, Themes, Edit code, and search the stylesheet for outline: none. Duplicate the theme first.
Check your store
Run your store's address through the free scan on this page. It finds 1, 2, 5 and 6 automatically. The paid pack renders every page to measure 3, 4 and 8, writes the alt text and link wording for you, and gives you these click-path instructions for every finding it makes.