Shopify Empire theme — accessibility hot-spot audit
Accessibility hot-spots in Empire
Quick-view modal dialog pattern
Auto-fixWCAG: 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap
Quick-view modal needs role="dialog" + focus trap + Escape + focus return.
Sticky header obscuring focus
Auto-fixWCAG: 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured
Sticky header overlaps focused fields when scrolled. Auto-fix sets scroll-padding-top equal to header height.
Product image alt text passthrough
Auto-fixWCAG: 1.1.1 Non-text Content
The theme renders alt text from the Shopify Admin product-image setting. Merchants who upload images without setting alt text get an empty `<img alt="">`, which screen readers skip silently. Auto-fix populates alt text from product titles + AI-generated descriptions.
Cart drawer focus management
Auto-fixWCAG: 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap
Cart-drawer modals open as overlays without enforcing a focus trap — keyboard users tabbing through the page after opening the drawer can land on background elements. Auto-fix patches the drawer JavaScript to trap focus, handle Escape, and restore focus to the trigger on close.
Mobile tap-target size (WCAG 2.2)
Auto-fixWCAG: 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)
Header icons, mobile nav links, and quantity steppers ship at 16-20 px on mobile — below the 24×24 CSS-pixel WCAG 2.2 floor. Auto-fix adds padding so the hit area meets the threshold while keeping the visible icon size unchanged.
FAQ
Is the Shopify Empire theme accessible by default?
Shopify has not published a Theme VPAT for Empire. The theme is engineered with accessibility in mind, but accessibility regressions appear in standard merchant customizations (color palette, section layouts, third-party apps). The hot-spots above are the most common predictable regressions based on the theme's structural patterns.
What WCAG criteria does Empire most often fail?
Across stores running Empire, the most-frequently-cited criteria are 1.1.1 Non-text Content (alt text), 1.4.3 Contrast Minimum (color contrast), 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (icon-only buttons), and 2.5.8 Target Size Minimum (mobile tap targets). Each maps to a deterministic theme-code fix.
Can AccessComply fix Empire accessibility issues automatically?
Yes. AccessComply scans the live Empire storefront, identifies WCAG 2.1 + 2.2 AA failures, and writes source-code fixes directly to the theme files via the Shopify Admin API. Roughly 70-80% of common violations auto-fix; the remainder are flagged for manual review with suggested code changes.
Will AccessComply break my Empire customizations?
No. Every fix is preceded by a full theme backup. Fixes are scoped to specific WCAG-relevant attributes and styles — not the merchant's custom layout, copy, or branding. If a fix introduces a regression, the post-fix re-scan triggers automatic rollback.
Run a real Empire scan
AccessComply scans your live Empire storefront for the hot-spots above and writes source-code fixes directly to your theme files.