Android Accessibility Improvements

4 posts · Jun 2018 – Nov 2025

What this trail covers

This thread tracks the evolution of accessibility improvements on Slack's Android application. Initial posts detail the identification and resolution of various accessibility issues identified through a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) process. This includes addressing inaccessible error messages, missing heading identifications, inaccessible edit fields, incorrect list item counts for screen readers, inaccessibility of drag-and-drop functionality in the workspace switcher, and is now expanded to include automated accessibility testing for the desktop application using Playwright and Axe Core.

All Slack trails

Nov 2025Android VPAT journeyThis post details the resolution of two P2 accessibility issues: strikethrough information not being conveyed to screen reader users (decided to avoid strikethrough for accessibility reasons) and errors indicated by color alone (updated error display to include an error icon alongside red text). It also notes ongoing P3 work on Keyboard Navigation and Focus, and references WCAG standards for the resolved issues.
Jan 2025Automated Accessibility Testing at SlackThis post details the integration of automated accessibility testing into Slack's desktop application using Playwright and Axe Core. It describes the exploration of embedding Axe checks into Jest and React Testing Library (RTL), the challenges encountered with Jest's custom setup and Playwright's Locator object, and the eventual workaround using Playwright's fixture model and custom test steps. The implementation involves filtering violations by criticality, excluding known issues and irrelevant rules, and saving detailed reports with screenshots. Accessibility checks are strategically placed within critical functionality tests after page loads and user interactions.
Feb 2019How to Fail at AccessibilityThis post details how to fail at accessibility by focusing on color contrast, UI zoom support, keyboard interaction models, and screenreader support. It emphasizes treating accessibility bugs as broken functionality and product blockers, and provides guidance on testing, building, and process improvements to prevent accessibility issues.
Jun 2018Ways we make the Slack iOS app accessibleThis post details specific accessibility improvements made to the Slack iOS app. It covers disabling animations in GIFs and emojis using the FLAnimatedImage framework and real-time messaging websockets for synchronization. It also describes font scaling adjustments, including dynamic type support and notification-based updates across views. VoiceOver support is enhanced using Apple's Accessibility API with labels, traits, and hints for custom elements. Color contrast ratios are improved by auditing and reducing the color palette, targeting WCAG 2.0 Level AAA standards. Finally, it outlines the use of KIF for automated functional UI testing to verify accessibility features.
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