What is an accessibility overlay?

An accessibility overlay is a third-party JavaScript widget installed on a website that adjusts the page's presentation in the visitor's browser: contrast, font size, cursor style, and similar surface changes. It does not repair the site's underlying code. That gap is why overlays have become a litigation target rather than a defense, and why regulators have challenged overlay marketing claims.

What overlays actually do

The widget loads with the page and applies visitor-side adjustments and some automated attribute injection. For a shopper with certain preferences it can help cosmetically. But screen reader users depend on correct underlying markup, and automated injection frequently makes that markup worse, adding conflicting roles and labels on top of broken structure.

The legal position

Plaintiff firms detect overlay signatures and file against stores running them, reasoning that the widget proves the owner knew the site was inaccessible and chose a cosmetic cover. In April 2025 the FTC finalized a million-dollar order against accessiBe, the largest overlay vendor, over claims that its product could make websites WCAG compliant. Installing one after a demand letter reads as concealment.

The alternative

Fix the code. A real audit identifies every failure in your theme, developers repair them, rescans verify the repairs, and monitoring keeps the store conformant afterward. The dated record of that program is what actually changes your position with filers, insurers, and courts.