Accessibility

31 August 2026: a code-verified audit of the list below found seven claims that described work not yet in the app. Each has moved to Inaccessible content with its timeline. Nothing was removed from our commitments; the list now separates what ships from what is in development.

4 August 2026: this statement was corrected to describe only what ships in v1.0. Several planned features previously listed as shipping now appear under Inaccessible content with their intended timelines.

Our commitment

Kelmscott is designed to be accessible to as many people as possible. We commit to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at level AA as our minimum conformance bar, and we go beyond it with selected criteria from WCAG 2.2 and the W3C Cognitive Accessibility (COGA) patterns.

Conformance status

This statement applies to the Kelmscott Mac app (App Store and direct distributions) and to this website, kelmscott.app.

Conformance: partial conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA at v1.0 release. The Kelmscott app meets the WCAG 2.1 AA bar across its primary surfaces (Reader, Source, Preferences). Known gaps and exemptions are listed in the next section.

Inaccessible content

The following content does not yet conform fully to WCAG 2.1 AA. We are working to address each item; see the timelines noted.

• Audio Reading with sentence-highlight tracking. Audio reading of document text with synchronised highlighting is deferred to v1.x. macOS users in the interim can use the system Accessibility Reader on Kelmscott document content (macOS 26+).
• Easy-to-Read alternative. LLM-aided simplification of an entire document into Easy-to-Read register is a v1.x feature, as is the per-paragraph Explain Paragraph feature (Studio).
• Calm preset. A single preset that pares the interface back for users who find feature-rich apps overwhelming is planned for v1.x.
• Sensory-low palette. An opt-in low-stimulation palette for users with sensory sensitivity is planned for v1.x.
• Apple Accessibility Reader integration. Deliberate integration with the system Accessibility Reader (macOS 26+) is planned for v1.x.
• Voice Control command conventions. Voice Control verb conventions, deliberately distinct on every command, are planned for v1.x.
• Reading Mode, Focus Mode and Reading Ruler. Distraction-free reading, focus at sentence and paragraph granularity, and a reading ruler for readers with line-tracking difficulty are in development for v1.0 and are not in the app today. They were listed on this page as shipping until 31 August 2026.
• Text Spacing controls. User controls for line, word and letter spacing beyond the WCAG 1.4.12 user-override floors are planned for v1.x. Document zoom is available today.
• Hand-tuned high-contrast palettes. Under Increase Contrast every house theme renders in a high-contrast variant derived from its own palette (see the next section). Palettes tuned by hand for each theme are a later editorial pass. Under the setting, the accent colours of alert labels have been strengthened to body ink, but the per-language edge on code blocks and the fills of Gantt, class and entity-relationship diagrams keep their fixed colours.
• Highlight marks. Highlighted text is currently distinguished by a background tint alone, which falls below the WCAG 2.1 SC 1.4.11 non-text contrast bar in every theme. An underline carrier is planned for v1.0.
• Fraction announcement in inline mathematics. VoiceOver currently omits the numerator when announcing some inline MathML fractions. This is a known defect we are working to correct.
• Calm Tech Certified audit. Formal audit and certification against the Calm Tech Institute 81-point standard is a v1.x deliverable; the features that satisfy most of those points are already shipping in v1.0.

What we have done

Accessibility features shipping in Kelmscott v1.0:

• Honouring of the four macOS display accessibility settings: Reduce Motion, Increase Contrast, Reduce Transparency and Differentiate Without Color. Under Increase Contrast every house theme renders in a high-contrast variant derived from its own palette, in light and dark appearance, with body text at or above 7:1 and rules at or above 4.5:1 against the paper, checked by the same contrast audit that gates every theme; the rail goes solid and code surfaces gain outlines. Exported HTML responds to the recipient's own browser contrast preference.
• Full VoiceOver support, sweep-tested every release
• Mathematics rendered in MathML for screen-reader announcement; see the known fraction-announcement gap above
• Diagrams (Mermaid) carry role and aria-label metadata for screen-reader description
• Predictability Commitment: no surprise pop-ups, no auto-updates without notice, opt-in data collection, no silent behaviour changes

Preparation of this statement

This statement was prepared on 2 July 2026 and is reviewed at minimum annually, more often when material changes to the app are released.

Last reviewed: 31 August 2026.

Methodology

Conformance is assessed through:

• Self-assessment against the WCAG 2.1 AA Success Criteria, supplemented by selected WCAG 2.2 criteria for cognitive accessibility (3.3.7, 3.3.8, 3.3.9), and the W3C COGA Making Content Usable patterns
• Automated checks in continuous integration: contrast-ratio audit for every theme, lint enforcement that VoiceOver labels in view code are localised, and parser and renderer tests verifying right-to-left behaviour
• Manual testing per release: VoiceOver sweep, Voice Control sweep, Xcode Accessibility Inspector audit, keyboard-only navigation sweep
• Real-user feedback via the channels listed in the next section

Feedback

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of Kelmscott. If you encounter an accessibility barrier, please let us know.

• Email: accessibility@kelmscott.app
• In the Kelmscott app: Help > Send Feedback…

We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within five working days.

Enforcement procedure

If you are not satisfied with our response to an accessibility complaint, you have the right to escalate to the enforcement authority in your country:

• European Union residents: the national accessibility supervisory authority designated under Directive (EU) 2019/882 (the European Accessibility Act) in your country of residence. The European Commission maintains a list of national authorities.
• United Kingdom residents: the Equality and Human Rights Commission for the Equality Act 2010, where applicable.
• Other jurisdictions: the relevant national accessibility or human-rights authority for your country.

Plain-language summary

We want Kelmscott to work well for everyone. We follow international accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) and add extra accessibility features beyond the minimum required. Some features (audio reading of documents, document simplification, a calm preset, a sensory-low palette) are not yet available; they are planned for later releases.

If something does not work for you, email accessibility@kelmscott.app and we will respond within five working days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to escalate to the accessibility authority in your country.

Changes to this statement

We update this statement when the accessibility of Kelmscott changes (new features landing, gaps closing, new gaps surfacing). Material changes are flagged at the top of the page when they happen.

Last updated: 16 September 2026.