# Email Accessibility Check

Review an email’s structure, headings, link purpose, image alternatives, color reliance, reading order, zoom behavior, motion, and plain-text fallback.

## Usage note

Run this check on a rendered test message in representative clients, not only the design file. It supports accessibility review but does not certify conformance by itself. Involve qualified accessibility specialists for high-impact programs and preserve a usable path when images, styles, scripts, or tracking do not load.

## How to use this template

1. Identify the email’s reader task, required information, primary action, supported clients, and accessibility risk.
2. Review source order, headings, paragraphs, lists, language, and whether live text carries essential meaning.
3. Check links, accessible names, images, alternatives, contrast, color independence, focus, and target usability.
4. Test responsive, zoomed, dark, high-contrast, blocked-image, reduced-motion, keyboard, screen-reader, and plain-text experiences as appropriate.
5. Record issues and owners, retest the exact release candidate, and preserve known limitations for future templates.

## Blank template

### Message setup

- **Email and version:** [Name or ID]
- **Reader task:** [What must the recipient understand or do?]
- **Primary action:** [One action]
- **Required information:** [Date, status, price, or another]
- **Target clients and devices:** [Supported test set]
- **Reviewer:** [Name or role]
- **Test date:** [YYYY-MM-DD]

### Structure and content

- [ ] Subject and sender identify the message honestly.
- [ ] Source order matches the intended reading order.
- [ ] Headings describe sections and do not skip meaningfully.
- [ ] Lists and tables communicate real structure.
- [ ] Essential information appears in live text.
- [ ] Instructions do not depend only on color, position, shape, or sound.
- [ ] Language and abbreviations are understandable for the audience.

### Links and media

- **Primary link label:** [Descriptive visible text]
- **Accessible name check:** [Matches purpose and destination]
- **Repeated links:** [Distinguishable where destinations differ]
- **Informative image alt:** [Purposeful alternative]
- **Decorative images:** [Empty alternative treatment]
- **Chart or complex image:** [Summary and data route]
- [ ] Link targets have adequate size and spacing.
- [ ] Animated content respects reduced-motion needs where supported.

### Rendering and fallback

- **Narrow-screen result:** [Reflow and action visibility]
- **Text zoom result:** [Clipping or overlap]
- **Dark/high-contrast result:** [Meaning and visibility]
- **Blocked-image result:** [Message remains usable]
- **Keyboard/screen-reader result:** [Order, labels, and action]
- **Plain-text result:** [Complete information and links]
- **Known client limitation:** [Impact and workaround]
- **Issue owner and retest:** [Name, date, status]