Scan for accessibility issues

Scan iOS and Android apps for accessibility issues on real BrowserStack devices and review them by severity without leaving your IDE.

Test Companion installs your app on a real BrowserStack device, navigates the screens you specify, and runs an accessibility scan after each UI change. When the session ends, you receive a single report that groups every issue by severity. The report links to the App Accessibility dashboard, where you inspect the element behind each issue.

Prerequisites

• A supported IDE with the Test Companion extension installed.
• An app already uploaded to BrowserStack, or a local build ready to upload. Test Companion accepts .apk, .ipa, .aab, or .xapk files. See Connect your app.
• A BrowserStack account with App Accessibility access. The capability is available by default in App mode.

Start an accessibility scan

1. Click App at the bottom of the panel to switch to App mode.

   

2. Click Select App to open the Connect the App to test dialog.

   

3. Select an app you already uploaded, or click Browse file to upload a new build.
4. Write a prompt that asks for an accessibility scan. See Example prompts.
5. Press Enter to start the scan.

During the scan

After you send your prompt, Test Companion may ask a clarifying question, such as which screens or flows to cover in the walkthrough. Answer it to focus the scan. You can also name those screens in your prompt to skip the question.

Test Companion then runs the scan on its own. You do not need to interact with the device.

After the device is ready, Test Companion:

1. Starts a real-device session for your app.
2. Installs and opens your app.
3. Navigates the screens you specify in your prompt.
4. Scans the current screen after each UI-changing action, such as a tap, a keystroke, a scroll, or a screen change.
5. Shows its progress in the panel as it works.

You do not need to trigger a scan per screen. Every finding lands in one report.

Review detected issues

When the session ends, Test Companion posts a summary in the chat. It sorts the issues by severity, then by count.

The summary groups every issue into three columns:

• Severity: How serious the issue is, shown as Critical, Serious, Moderate, or Minor.
• Issue: The WCAG rule that failed, such as Meaningful accessibility label for images.
• Count: The number of elements the rule affects.

When a scan finds no issues, the report shows a message confirming none were found instead of the table.

Across apps, the scan most often flags these categories:

• Labels and names: Buttons, images, and inputs with no accessibility label.
• Tap targets: Interactive elements smaller than the platform minimum.
• Contrast: Text or icons below the WCAG contrast threshold.
• Hierarchy: Problems with heading order, focus order, or grouping.

Open the App Accessibility dashboard

Open the App Accessibility dashboard to see per-element evidence for each issue.

For each issue, the dashboard shows:

• The screen where the issue appeared.
• A screenshot with the affected element highlighted.
• The WCAG version and the rule that failed.
• A recommended fix.

Use the dashboard to investigate a single rule in depth. You can also share a dashboard link with a designer or developer.

Example prompts

Name the screens or flows you want to scan in your prompt.

Single screen:

Run an accessibility scan on the login screen.

Flow with specific checks:

Test accessibility for the checkout flow. Focus on tap targets and contrast.

Specific WCAG version:

Scan the app for WCAG 2.1 issues on the home screen and the settings screen.

Best practices

• Name the screens or flows in your prompt. A scoped prompt, such as the checkout flow, produces a focused report instead of a broad sweep.
• Scan after each build. Run a scan when the UI changes so you catch new issues before they reach users.
• State the WCAG version when it matters. Name the version in your prompt when your team reports against a fixed standard.
• Share the dashboard link for fixes. Send the App Accessibility dashboard link to the designer or developer who owns the fix. They do not need the IDE to view it.

Next steps

• Connect your app: Upload a build, or pick one from your account, before you start a session.
• Generate test cases: Turn the screens you scanned into reusable test cases.
• Prompt guide: Write prompts that get the best results from app sessions.