Accessibility features expanding app audiences
- indiitseowork2
- Aug 27
- 5 min read
Around 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the world's population, have a serious impairment. A lot of apps miss out on this big audience because they don't pay attention to accessibility features. Think about how much your app could expand and how much good it could do by reaching this market that hasn't been tapped yet. Are you ready to learn how designing apps that are open to everyone may help them reach more people and have a bigger effect? This guide gives you useful tips for 2025 and beyond.
The Strength of Designing Apps for Everyone
It's not only about following the rules when you make an app that is accessible; it's also about being a good entrepreneur and a good citizen. When you make something accessible, you automatically make it better for everyone. Curb cuts are made for wheelchairs, but they also work great for strollers, delivery carts, and bikes. The same idea goes for apps.
Getting to Know Your Different Audience
It's important to know what different people need before you start adding features. This includes:
Vision problems: being blind, having limited vision, or being color blind.
Hearing problems: deafness, hard of hearing.
Motor problems: not being able to move your hands well, tremors, and paralysis.
Cognitive problems include dyslexia, ADHD, and learning challenges.
Each category benefits from certain design choices that make the app easier to use.
Important Ways to Reach More People with Your App
Here are some important ways to make your app development process more accessible:
Early Integration: Accessibility from the outset saves time and money. Adding additions afterward is frequently more complicated and expensive.
Testing with different groups of users: Real feedback from people with impairments is quite helpful. They give developers information that no one else can see.
Clear and Consistent Navigation: All users, but notably those with cognitive disabilities or who use assistive technology, will benefit from layouts that are easy to understand and controls that are easy to use.
Customizable Interfaces: Let users change the size of the text, the contrast, and even where the controls are to fit their needs.
Common Mistakes in Making Things Accessible and How to Avoid Them
When developers first start working on accessibility, they often make the same mistakes. Being aware helps stop things from happening.
Mistake 1: Only using automated tools
Automated accessibility checkers are a good place to start, but they don't detect everything. There is no substitute for manual testing and feedback from users.
Mistake 2: Not enough color contrast
People who have limited vision or color blindness can't read writing that doesn't have enough contrast.
"Color is a strong part of design, but using it wrong can make it hard for millions of people to see."
Make sure that the colors of the text and the backdrop fit the contrast ratios set by the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).
Mistake 3: Not having keyboard navigation support
A lot of people, especially those with motor problems, utilize keyboards or other input devices instead of a mouse or touch. Make sure that all interactive parts can be reached and used with a keyboard.
Mistake 4: Not having alt text for images
Screen readers use the alt text of photos to talk about them. Visually handicapped people miss important information without it. Every picture that has meaning needs detailed alt text.
Important tools and resources for accessibility
There are many tools that can help you make your app more accessible.
Development Tools
Resources for Learning
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is the global standard for making websites and apps accessible.
MDN Web Docs - Accessibility: Full instructions and tutorials.
Apple's Human Interface Guidelines for Accessibility: What you need to know about making iOS apps accessible.
Android Accessibility Guide: Information about how to make Android apps accessible.
Expert Opinions for 2025
The accessibility landscape is continually changing. Here are the things that experts are focused on over the next year:
Using AI and machine learning to make things easier to use
AI is making things easier to use for more and more people, such real-time captioning and predictive text for people who have trouble moving. AI will make accessibility features more tailored and flexible.
Language and content that are open to everyone
In addition to technological features, the language in your app and marketing materials should also be respectful and inclusive. Don't use jargon and make sure everything is clear.
Micro-interactions and haptic feedback
Users who are blind or have trouble seeing, as well as those who are in noisy places, can benefit from subtle haptic feedback and well-designed micro-interactions that give them useful non-visual indications.
Important Points
Adding accessibility features to an app's audience makes it much more popular and gets more people to use it.
It's better and more efficient to create apps that are accessible from the start than to add features later.
Testing with a variety of users is very important for finding real-world accessibility problems.
Don't make frequent blunders like not having good contrast, not supporting keyboards, or not having alt text.
Use tools and resources like WCAG, screen readers, and contrast checkers.
AI-powered accessibility and better haptic feedback are two trends that are likely to happen in the future.
Questions that come up a lot
Why are accessibility features making apps more popular?
Accessibility features make apps available to more people since they make it easier for people with impairments to use and enjoy the app. This inevitably increases the number of people who can use the app and the market it can reach.
What do the law say about making apps accessible?
The laws that apply to you depend on where you live (for example, the ADA in the US, EN 301 549 in the EU, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 in India). Most of them follow WCAG rules. It's always a good idea to talk to a lawyer who knows about digital accessibility regulations in the markets you're trying to reach.
How do I check to see if my app is accessible?
You may test your app with a mix of automatic tools (such Axe DevTools), manual checks (including keyboard navigation and zoom capability), and most importantly, by having people with different disabilities use it and provide you feedback.
Is accessibility only for people with very bad disabilities?
No, accessibility is good for everyone. Features like clear contrast, customizable word sizes, and easy-to-use navigation make the app easier to use for everyone, even people who have temporary disabilities (like a broken arm) or situational limits (like using the app in intense sunlight).
Suggestions
It's not enough to just follow the rules when it comes to accessibility; you also need to make a better product that works for everyone. By making your apps accessible during the development process, you not only do the right thing, but you also open up a lot of new growth potential. Begin by reviewing your present app, teaching your team, and making a commitment to an inclusive design philosophy. Your different types of users are waiting! Are you ready to make your software available to more people? Get in touch with our accessibility experts immediately for a one-on-one consultation!
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