Accessibility in Metabase

While we’re working to make a product that is easy to use and inclusive to all, we’re not yet fully compliant with the U.S. federal government’s Section 508 standards or the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA. We expect to build on our current state in the future, and as of today these are some general notes on our state of compliance:

• Navigation and screen readers: Most information is presented in a way to ensure it can be accessed by screen readers. Metabase lacks a mechanism to allow screen readers to bypass repetitive navigation elements efficiently. Many interactive elements, functionalities, tooltip content, non-modal dialogs and custom form controls are not operable for screen reader users.
• Non-text content: While Metabase provides text alternatives for most non-text elements, some functional images either lack descriptions or have incomplete alt text.
• Keyboard navigation: Most form elements are keyboard-accessible, but certain interactive components, such as custom controls and non-modal dialogs, may lack full keyboard operability.
• Focus management: In some cases, keyboard focus does not follow a logical order, and certain interactive elements lack a visible focus indicator.
• Tables and data visualization: Data tables do not consistently include programmatically defined row and column headers, impacting screen reader interpretation.
• Motion and animations: Metabase includes minimal transition animations. If the prefers-reduced-motion CSS setting is enabled in the OS, Metabase disables animations. However, we have not yet conducted full testing to confirm that all animations meet the recommended flicker rate threshold (between 2 Hz and 55 Hz).
• Language and labels: Some form elements lack explicit labels, and primary language settings do not update programmatically when changed.
• Assistive technology compatibility: Metabase is a React-based web application, which means it requires JavaScript to function and may not be fully operable with all assistive technologies.
• Error handling and form validation: Some form fields do not provide clear error messages, and required fields are not always programmatically marked as mandatory. This may impact users relying on screen readers or other assistive technologies.
• Contrast and visual accessibility: While most UI elements meet contrast requirements, some text and interactive elements have insufficient color contrast, making them difficult to read for users with low vision or color blindness.
• Resizing and responsive behavior: Most content can be resized up to 200% without loss of information, but some elements do not reflow properly, potentially causing overlap or cutoff content when text spacing is adjusted.
• Hover and tooltip behavior: Some tooltips and additional information elements appear on hover but are not easily dismissible using a keyboard, which may present challenges for keyboard-only users and screen readers.
• Status messages and notifications: While some dynamically generated status messages are accessible, others are not consistently conveyed to assistive technologies like screen readers, which could make it difficult for users to receive important system feedback.
• Consistent page titles and headings: Some pages lack descriptive or unique titles, which may make navigation more challenging for screen reader users who rely on clear page identification.

If you’re interested in helping us address these gaps, check out our developers’ guide.

To request a copy of our VPAT, contact us at help@metabase.com.