What changed in WCAG 2.2
The additive nature of the update, the one removal and why, backward compatibility, and the publication history you should cite.
Additive, with one removal
WCAG 2.2 is an additive update. W3C states it “provides 9 additional success criteria since WCAG 2.1,” and that “the 2.0 and 2.1 success criteria are essentially the same in 2.2, with one exception” (Source: W3C WAI, What's New in WCAG 2.2 ) . The one exception is the removal of 4.1.1 Parsing. For the full list of the nine additions, see what’s new in WCAG 2.2; for the side-by-side, see WCAG 2.1 vs 2.2.
Why 4.1.1 Parsing was removed
4.1.1 Parsing (formerly Level A) is the only success criterion removed in WCAG 2.2. The note attached to it in the Recommendation explains why:
In practice, markup problems that genuinely harm accessibility now fail other criteria instead, most often 1.3.1 Info and Relationships or 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Source: W3C, WCAG 2 FAQ ) . So removing 4.1.1 does not lower the bar; it removes a check that duplicated others.
Backward compatibility
Later versions add criteria and do not change existing ones, so conforming to 2.2 guarantees conformance to the earlier versions. This is what makes 2.2 a safe target even where regulation still names 2.1.
Publication history
- 5 October 2023 — WCAG 2.2 first published as a W3C Recommendation.
- 12 December 2024 — an updated edition published; this is the current “This version” of the Recommendation.
- ISO/IEC 40500:2025 — WCAG 2.2 is also an approved ISO standard, available free from ISO (Source: W3C WAI, WCAG 2 overview ) .
When you cite WCAG 2.2, reference the current dated edition (12 December 2024) and note the original 5 October 2023 publication.
What you need to do
If you already conform to WCAG 2.1 AA, the move to 2.2 AA is the six new A/AA criteria, listed with a one-line test each on the conformance checklist. Nothing in your existing 2.1 work needs to be redone, and 4.1.1 Parsing can come off the checklist.
Common questions
Why was 4.1.1 Parsing removed from WCAG 2.2?
Because it is obsolete. It was added in WCAG 2.0 for assistive technology that parsed HTML directly. Modern assistive technology relies on the browser, so the problems it addressed are now caught by other criteria such as 1.3.1 and 4.1.2.
Is 4.1.1 Parsing still in WCAG 2.2?
No. It is marked obsolete and removed. You can drop it from a WCAG 2.2 conformance checklist. Genuine markup defects that harm accessibility still fail under 1.3.1 Info and Relationships or 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.
Which edition of WCAG 2.2 should I cite?
Cite the current edition, the W3C Recommendation of 12 December 2024, while noting WCAG 2.2 was first published on 5 October 2023.