You’ve likely heard from a company selling an accessibility overlay, or maybe you’ve already added one to your website.
An overlay is a type of addon. It says it can make your site meet accessibility rules, even if your site does not follow the basic standards.
But many overlays do not do what they say. Some companies behind them tell a nice story about fixing accessibility, but their addons often fail on real problems.
Here are five reasons why it’s wise to get a second opinion from someone who knows accessibility before using an overlay.
#1 You’ll Be Safe from the Law
Some companies say their overlay meets legal rules like EN 301 549, which follows WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
But automated addons only meet about 10% of WCAG. That means 90% of the rules are still not followed. Saying that out loud makes it clear, these tools do not come close.
In Europe, the Law Is Clear
Every EU country now follows the European Accessibility Act (EAA). This makes the EAA the standard across Europe.
But the European Commission does not support overlays as a fix. If a tool does not help your website meet all the rules in full, it is not good enough.
Overlays, or any other tools which do not ensure the website itself meets the detailed criteria of the standard, are not an appropriate solution. It is best to fix accessibility issues at their source.
Promised Compliance in the UK
The UK does not follow the European Accessibility Act, but the law remains strict. It still aligns with European standards like EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1 Level AA, which public sector organisations are already required to meet.
The UK can also bring in its own rules at any time. That happened with GDPR, when the UK made its own version called UK GDPR after leaving the EU.
Even if you are not a public body, it is wise to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA now to reduce legal risk and improve usability. This matches the legal rules in Europe, but it’s only the lowest level. Most sites now aim for WCAG 2.2 Level AA.
Many overlays fail to meet WCAG 2.1 Level A. That is the most basic accessibility standard. Using one on your site means you are falling short of essential accessibility principles.
#2 Claim That Disabled People Want It
Some vendors use quotes from disabled users who say the overlay tool helped them. Some of these users could easily be paid.
This is used as a way to sell the product. It makes you think overlays are clearly helpful.
This kind of evidence is easy to challenge. At least 21 disabled users have spoken out against overlays, according to the Overlay Factsheet. Here are just a few of their voices.
…I know with 100% certainty, any site which has deployed an overlay in the past year and a half has been less useable for both my wife and me—both blind.
…I finally managed to gain access to my @NameCheap account by blocking #AccessiBe in my Windows Hosts file. I should not need to do this to use the Internet. AccessiBe needs to AccessiBeGone
…Suggesting one line of code is cheap so you should do it by inference suggests disabled lives aren’t worth investing in either. #a11y
Most disabled people already have their own tools and ways of using the web. They do not need websites to be broken first, then offer a set of settings that guess how they want to use them.
Think of it like this. Giving someone a new wheelchair when they already use their own does not help. It just shows your shop was built in a way that excludes them. What they need is a shop they can enter with the tools they already use. Not a fix that suits your design choices.
This kind of approach forces disabled people to leave behind their own tools and learn a new way for each site. That is tiring and unfair.
Trying to track disabled users to offer a “personalised” overlay is not the answer. Disability is a protected characteristic. Digital teams must not try to find out who is disabled or follow them across websites. If you’re unsure, seek legal advice.
#3 Promise of Custom Settings
Some overlays say users can change font size, line height, letter spacing, and word spacing to help them read better.
But changing these settings can break your site if it was not built with inclusive practices.
Common problems include:
- Extra spacing in words or letters can break layout or hide important instructions
- Drop-down menus only show when you hover, and spacing changes can push them too far from the pointer, making them impossible to use
- Larger font sizes may push key content off the screen or cover other parts of the page
#4 Promise of Dyslexia-Friendly Modes
Some overlays say they help people with dyslexia by using special fonts. But this claim is a red flag.
These vendors wrongly suggest dyslexia is a vision problem that can be fixed with a font. That is not true.
The Australian Dyslexia Association says dyslexia is a language-based issue. It affects how people hear and understand the sounds in words, and how they link those sounds to letters. It is not about how text looks.
It is patronising to think dyslexia can be fixed with heavier letters or a special shape. Changing letters like “b” and “d” might look clever, but it does not solve the real problem.
When tested, people with dyslexia found no clear benefit from these fonts compared to standard ones like Arial or Times New Roman. Sometimes the special fonts made reading harder.
The real benefit comes from using readable fonts. That means clear layout, good contrast, and enough space. The same things that help everyone also help people with dyslexia.
#5 Why ADHD-Modes Are Not Enough
Some vendors offer ADHD modes that block parts of the screen to help users focus. This is meant to reduce distractions.
But these modes do not fix many problems that still affect people with ADHD. A few key examples:
- Popups that suddenly appear and interrupt the task, forcing people to stop and refocus
- Time limits that do not let people pause or extend them, such as only giving 15 minutes to buy a concert ticket
- Pages that change layout often, causing people to lose their place or take longer to understand what they are seeing
You Can Still Choose to Leave Your Overlay Vendor
If you’ve read this or the Overlay Factsheet, signed by more than 950 accessibility experts, you may be ready to let go of your overlay vendor.
That can feel daunting. You might go from using a tool that claimed to solve accessibility to being left without clear guidance on what to do next.
There is no instant fix. But there is a better way forward. Start small. Make one real improvement at a time.
And if you need support at any stage, we’re here to help.
Image Credits
- Featured Image: https://www.pexels.com/@cottonbro/
