Squarespace accessibility: the common errors and where to fix them
Every Squarespace site we scan shares the same handful of failures. Here is each one: what it is, who it leaves out, and where in Squarespace it is fixed. Where it says "theme", that is code, and the corrected HTML is what your developer needs.
1. Images without a description
Fixed in the editor, no codeA blind visitor's screen reader says "image" and nothing else. If the image is a product, a promo or a button, they simply don't know what it is.
blind people (screen readers)
Where in Squarespace
Edit the page → click the image → Edit → "Image alt text" (or the caption for some blocks).2. Text that is hard to read
Fixed in the editor, no codeSome text is too light against its background. People with low vision, older customers, and anyone on a phone in sunlight can't read it. This is the most common finding in accessibility lawsuits.
people with low vision · mobile users
Where in Squarespace
Design → Site Styles → Colors: choose a darker text colour for that section's theme.3. Links that don't say where they go
Fixed in the editor, no codeLinks like "click here" or an image with no text are read as "link". Screen-reader users navigate by jumping between links, so these are dead ends.
blind people (screen readers)
Where in Squarespace
Edit the page → click the link or button → change the text to say where it goes.4. Form fields without a label
Fixed in the editor, no codeIn your forms (checkout, contact, login) some fields don't say what goes in them. A blind customer hears "edit text" and can't complete the purchase.
blind people (screen readers) · people with cognitive disabilities
Where in Squarespace
Edit the form block → each field → Label. Turn off "hide label".5. The page doesn't declare its language
Fixed in the editor, no codeScreen readers guess the language and read Spanish with an English voice (or vice versa): unintelligible.
blind people (screen readers)
Where in Squarespace
Settings → Language & Region → Site language.6. The page has no title
Fixed in the editor, no codeThe browser tab is blank and screen readers can't say which page is open. Also hurts Google.
blind people (screen readers) · people with cognitive disabilities
Where in Squarespace
Pages → gear icon on the page → SEO → SEO Title; site-wide: Settings → Site title.7. Headings out of order
Fixed in the editor, no codeTitles skip levels (like a document going from chapter 1 to section 1.1.1). The page's outline stops making sense to screen readers.
blind people (screen readers) · people with cognitive disabilities
Where in Squarespace
Edit the text block → highlight the heading → choose Heading 2 / 3 in order.8. Buttons too small to tap
Needs the theme (code)Some buttons or links are smaller than a fingertip. Older customers and people with tremors miss them.
people who can't use a mouse · mobile users
Where in Squarespace
In Squarespace this needs Custom CSS (Design → Custom CSS) or a code injection. Paste the code below there, or send it to your designer.9. Videos without captions
Needs the theme (code)Deaf customers get nothing from your videos.
deaf people
Where in Squarespace
In Squarespace this needs Custom CSS (Design → Custom CSS) or a code injection. Paste the code below there, or send it to your designer.10. Zoom is blocked on phones
Needs the theme (code)Your site forbids pinch-to-zoom. Anyone who needs bigger text can't get it.
people with low vision · mobile users
Where in Squarespace
In Squarespace this needs Custom CSS (Design → Custom CSS) or a code injection. Paste the code below there, or send it to your designer.11. Buttons with no name
Needs the theme (code)Icon-only buttons (menu, cart, close) are read as just "button". A blind customer can't tell the cart from the close button.
blind people (screen readers) · people who can't use a mouse
Where in Squarespace
In Squarespace this needs Custom CSS (Design → Custom CSS) or a code injection. Paste the code below there, or send it to your designer.12. The page has no main heading
Needs the theme (code)Blind users navigate by headings; without a main one the page has no starting point.
blind people (screen readers) · people with cognitive disabilities
Where in Squarespace
In Squarespace this needs Custom CSS (Design → Custom CSS) or a code injection. Paste the code below there, or send it to your designer.
Questions people ask
- Is Squarespace accessible out of the box?
- The platform itself follows the guidelines reasonably well; the failures come from the theme, the apps or plugins, and the content (photos uploaded without a description). A scan of your own site says which.
- Do I need a developer to fix accessibility on Squarespace?
- Not for most of it: alt text, page titles, headings, link text, colours and form labels are settings. Menus that ignore the keyboard, pop-ups that trap focus and unnamed icon links live in the theme; for those you need the corrected code.
- Does an accessibility app or widget fix Squarespace?
- No. A widget changes what the visitor sees in the browser; the theme and the photos stay as they were, and lawsuits cite the code.