Apple Adopts WCAG 3 Companion Guidance; App Store Now Requires Accessibility Metadata in Submissions

Tech · 4 min read

In a quiet but significant policy shift, Apple now requires that app submissions include accessibility metadata files describing UI semantics, focus order, and supported assistive features. The policy cites WCAG 3 companion guidance and encourages use of standardized formats so automated review tools can validate accessibility claims during the App Store vetting process.

For design systems this means tokens and components must ship with metadata bundles that describe keyboard behavior, focus management, and motion considerations. Apple says these bundles should be exportable from design tools and preserved through the build pipeline so the review system can replicate accessibility validations that were historically manual.

The guidance also clarifies remediation expectations: apps that misrepresent accessibility capabilities may be rejected until metadata aligns with runtime behavior. Vendors behind major design systems — including Material, Fluent, and Polaris contributors — said they are rolling out updates to their export pipelines and CI checks to help teams comply before the new enforcement window begins.