Accessibility overlays are everywhere right now. If you’ve seen the little floating wheelchair icon on a website, you’ve seen one in action. These tools promise “instant ADA compliance,” “automatic WCAG fixes,” and “full accessibility with one line of code.”

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Accessibility overlays don’t work—and in many cases, they make things worse.

Even more importantly, overlays are increasingly becoming a red flag for plaintiffs’ attorneys, making websites more likely to be targeted in ADA lawsuits.

Let’s quickly break down why.

1. Overlays Don’t Fix the Actual Accessibility Barriers

Overlays add a visual widget on top of a website, but they do not modify the source code where accessibility issues live.

They can’t fix:

• Incorrect heading structure

• Missing or incorrect labels

• Bad focus order

• ARIA misuse

• Keyboard traps

• Improper form markup

• Non-descriptive link text

• Poor interaction design

• Inaccessible components

• Broken PDFs

Accessibility must be built into the foundation of a site—not patched over the top.

2. Screen Reader Users Often Turn Them Off

Blind and low-vision users rely on screen readers like JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver.
These tools often ignore overlays or actively conflict with them.

Many users disable overlays immediately because:

• They add noise

• They hijack navigation

• They break focus

• They conflict with user settings

Overlays are designed to assist, but often interfere.

3. Overlays Don’t Prevent ADA Lawsuits

Despite their marketing claims, overlays do not:

❌ Make you ADA compliant
❌ Protect you from legal action
❌ Meet WCAG 2.2 A/AA requirements
❌ Fix underlying HTML issues

Courts have repeatedly ruled that overlays are not a substitute for true accessibility, including in several federal cases from 2020–2024.

If anything, overlays give a false sense of security—while legal risk grows behind the scenes.

4. Overlays Often Add New Accessibility Issues

Ironically, many overlays create additional barriers, such as:

• Duplicate page elements

• Conflicting ARIA roles

• Broken keyboard navigation

• Overridden user preferences

• Unpredictable screen reader output

Tools meant to “fix accessibility” can actually break it.

What Really Works: Human-Led Accessibility

Accessibility is not automatic—it’s a process.

Real accessibility requires:

• Semantic HTML

• Keyboard support

• Screen reader testing

• WCAG 2.2 understanding

• Good UX and interaction design

• Accessible PDFs

• Accessible components

• Human judgment

This is why so many companies now work with accessibility professionals instead of relying on widgets.

Bottom Line

Accessibility overlays create the illusion of accessibility, not the reality.
They can supplement accessibility—but never replace actual WCAG compliance work.

If you’re using an overlay, it’s time to get a real picture of your accessibility health.