Is it an accessibility issue to hide content from mobile users?

The goal of web accessibility is that the same information and functionality is available to all users, regardless of disability. WCAG Success Criterion 1.4.10: Reflow requires that no content or functionality is lost when the content is set to 320 CSS pixels wide or 256 CSS pixels tall — or in other words, when the viewing area is small.

While some mobile users may have the option to switch to a desktop to access your form, users with low vision who rely on screen magnification or large zoom sizes likely won’t have another option if your form is unavailable at those parameters.

To address issues like this, it pays to get creative! The form on your “mobile” site can look or function a bit differently than on the “desktop” version so it can both accommodate the limited visual space and remain broadly available. If the form is still easily findable and accessible, such as with a single click, it conforms to the WCAG criterion. Popular strategies include swapping the form with a single disclosure button that opens the full form or a link that takes the user to a dedicated form page.

To guide you through evaluating how well your content adapts to different screen and zoom sizes, the Guided Manual WCAG Audit Tool from Accessible Web includes a helper tool and detailed instructions.