WCAG 2.1
WCAG 2.1 is the W3C accessibility standard published in June 2018 that adds 17 success criteria to WCAG 2.0, focused on mobile, low-vision, and cognitive needs; legal use of WCAG varies by jurisdiction and program.
Detailed explanation
WCAG 2.1 introduced 17 new success criteria beyond WCAG 2.0, addressing gaps that emerged with the rise of mobile and touch interfaces. Notable additions at Level AA include 1.3.4 Orientation, 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose, 1.4.10 Reflow, 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast, 1.4.12 Text Spacing, 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus, 2.5.1 Pointer Gestures, 2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation, 2.5.3 Label in Name, and 2.5.4 Motion Actuation.
WCAG 2.1 extends WCAG 2.0, so content that conforms to 2.1 also conforms to 2.0 at the same level, subject to conformance scope. Laws, regulations, procurement programs, settlements, and court orders differ in whether and how they reference a WCAG version; WCAG should not be presented as a universal ADA rule for private ecommerce.
How this applies to Shopify stores
Shopify's Online Store 2.0 themes are built with accessibility in mind, but merchant settings and third-party apps can introduce regressions. AccessComply runs WCAG 2.1-mapped automated checks at desktop and mobile viewports; manual testing remains necessary.
What merchants should check next
Treat this term as a practical audit prompt, not just a definition. Check the storefront pages where the concept shows up in real customer journeys: product discovery, add-to-cart, cart drawer, checkout handoff, account login, and support contact flows. If the issue affects code, verify the rendered HTML and computed browser output after the theme change. If it affects copy or media, keep the merchant-facing wording accurate and easy to maintain.
Primary source: w3.org