Accessibility Icon Design: What the 2025 European Accessibility Act Means for Software Developers
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) took effect in June 2025 and now impacts how software developers design digital products, including the icons in their user interfaces. If your app is sold in or used within the EU, this accessibility icon design likely applies to you.
Official Site: European Accessibility Act
In this post, we’ll explain what the EAA means for accessibility icon design, what you need to check to stay compliant, and how our team can help you update or redesign your accessible icons without compromising style or performance.
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Ensure your icons support compliance with the EU 2025 Accessibility Act
What is the 2025 EU Accessibility Act?
The EAA aims to harmonise accessibility requirements across EU member states. It applies to digital services and software products, including websites, mobile apps, desktop applications, and self-service terminals, ensuring they’re usable by people with a wide range of disabilities.
Icons, as visual signposts, play a crucial role in software navigation and interaction. If users can’t understand or access your icons, your app may fail compliance checks.
🧩 Icon Compliance Crib-Sheet
Here’s a quick reference table covering the most important icon-related requirements under the EAA and how we support them:
| Requirement | What It Means for Icons | How We Help |
|---|---|---|
| Consistent Meaning | Icons must have predictable, intuitive functions across the app | We design standardised icon systems with clear metaphors and visual grouping |
| Text Alternatives | All icons must be accessible via text (tooltips, aria-labels, etc.) | We can supply descriptive text labels for each icon for use in UI or code |
| High Contrast & Visibility | Icons must be distinguishable at low vision or high-zoom | Our SVG icons use bold shapes and accessible colour contrasts |
| Keyboard & Assistive Tech Friendly | Icons must not block navigation or confuse screen readers | We advise on ARIA roles and keyboard testing best practices |
| No Colour-Only Communication | Function must not rely on colour alone (e.g. red = delete) | We include distinct standardised shapes, strokes, or iconography to reinforce meaning |
💡 Pro Tip: Our SVG icons can be styled with CSS directly in your app. That means you can implement high-contrast modes or zoom scaling without redesigning or duplicating files — keeping your UI flexible and future-proof for accessibility. Converting your custom icons to SVG, completely future-proofs your software UI for Accessibility compliance and more.
Who’s Affected?
If you develop or sell software in the EU, including SaaS platforms, desktop apps, web interfaces, kiosks, or embedded UI systems, the 2025 Accessibility Act applies to you. You’re expected to make all aspects of your UI accessible, including icons.
⚙️ What You Can Do Right Now
If your icons fall short, we can help. From minor redesigns to complete UI icon sets, we’ll bring your software in line with 2025 standards, without losing the visual identity you’ve worked hard to build. You might also find our post on why icons look blurry helpful when reviewing your current assets.
- 🔍 Audit your icon set for meaning, readability, and accessibility
- 💬 Add text labels or aria-descriptions to each icon
- 🎨 Check contrast and shape clarity at different sizes and zoom levels
- 🧪 Test with screen readers and keyboard-only navigation
How We Help with Acessibility Icon Design
- ✅ Accessibility-first custom SVG icon design
- ✅ Supply of descriptive text for tooltips and ARIA labels
- ✅ Icon sets optimised for visibility, zoom, and screen reader compatibility
- ✅ Design handover with developer guidance on best implementation
- ✅ All icons tested and supplied in accessible SVG, PNG, or XAML formats
- ✅ Icons designed with WCAG 2.1/2.2 standards in mind, including high contrast, clear meaning, and text alternatives
Accessible Icons Without the Guesswork
You don’t need to become an accessibility expert to get this right. Let our team of experienced icon designers help upgrade your UI with accessible icons that meet EAA requirements and enhance usability for all.
