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Guided manual checks
Short, step-by-step checks for the part of WCAG no tool can test on its own, recorded with each post.
Overview
Guided manual checks sit in a Manual accessibility checks panel in the block editor's post settings sidebar, on the Post or Page tab, for every content type Lumtera checks. The panel lists nine checks, each tagged Pass, Fail, Not applicable or Not done, under a progress line such as "4 of 9 done, 1 failed". A new post has to be saved once before results can be recorded.
Click a check's name to open it. The window shows how long it takes, from two to five minutes, then Why it matters, numbered Steps, an Open the page link, What to record for a pass, a fail and not applicable, and the WCAG success criteria it covers, each linked to the W3C's explanation. Open the page goes to the live page once the post is published and to the preview before that. The Text spacing check adds Open with test spacing, which shows the page with WCAG's test spacing applied, to you only.
Choose a Result, add an optional Note and click Save result. The result is saved straight away, without updating the post. When a check that covers several criteria fails, Which criteria failed? lets you untick the ones that actually passed. Reopening a check shows who recorded the result and on what date, and Clear result removes it.
Why it matters
Automated checks decide only part of WCAG. Whether a page works with the keyboard alone, at 200% zoom or with a screen reader needs a person to try it — and most people do not know where to start.
What you get
- Keyboard only, zoom and reflow, text spacing, a screen reader skim, forms, media, motion, content on hover or focus, and orientation.
- Each check takes a few minutes and needs no expert knowledge.
- Pass, fail or not applicable, with a note, saved per page with who checked it and when.
How it works
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Open the post in the block editor
Find the Manual accessibility checks panel.
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Follow the steps
Each check says what to try and what a pass looks like.
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Record the result
Mark it passed, failed or not applicable, and add a note.
Who it helps
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Teams without an accessibility specialist
Each step says which keys to press or which setting to change, so an editor can test a page properly the first time, without training.
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Key pages before a launch
Run the checks on the home page, a typical post, the contact form and the checkout. Pages built from the same template usually pass or fail together.
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Agencies preparing a conformance report
Results recorded on published pages feed the Accessibility Conformance Report in Lumtera Pro, on the Freelancer plan and above, where only a passed manual check can mark a criterion Supports.
Good to know
How it behaves, what it needs, and where its limits are.
- The nine checks
- Keyboard only; Zoom to 200% and a narrow window; Text spacing; Screen reader skim: headings and landmarks; Forms and error messages; Video and audio; Motion, flashing and time limits; Content that appears on hover or focus; Portrait and landscape. Together they cover 21 WCAG 2.2 level A and AA criteria.
- Who can record results
- Anyone who can edit the post can see its checks and record or clear results. The test spacing preview works only for logged-in users who can edit that post; visitors never see it.
- Where results show
- In the panel, and in the Content report, where a line such as "Manual checks: 4 of 9 done, 1 failed" appears under the title once a check has a result. Manual results do not change the automated score or the Overview totals.
- Results belong to the page
- A result is kept with the post, not with one version of it. After a large change to a page, run the affected checks again and update the result.
- Privacy
- Each result stores the user who recorded it, the date and the optional note, up to 2,000 characters. WordPress's personal data export includes them. Erasing a user's data keeps the result but removes who recorded it and the note.
Questions
Something else on your mind? Contact support
Where do the results go?
They stay with the post and show in the Content report. In Lumtera Pro, results on published content also feed the Accessibility Conformance Report.
If a page passes every check, does it meet WCAG?
Not on its own. The results are your own judgement, and the nine checks cover common barriers, not every criterion. They are a structured way to test what automated checks cannot.
Do I need special software?
Most checks need only a browser and a keyboard. The screen reader skim uses VoiceOver on a Mac, the free NVDA on Windows or TalkBack on Android, and the orientation check needs a phone, a tablet or your browser's device mode.
Is the panel in the classic editor or Elementor?
No. The panel is in the block editor only.
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