How to fix aria prohibited attr on Shopify
Remove or replace any ARIA attributes that are prohibited for the role assigned to each HTML element, so assistive technologies receive accurate, unambiguous information.
Steps for Shopify
- From your Shopify Admin, go to Online Store → Themes → click the '…' menu next to your active theme → Edit code.
- In the 'Layout' and 'Sections' folders, open the template file containing the flagged element (common culprits: header.liquid, product-card.liquid, slideshow.liquid).
- Use Ctrl+F / Cmd+F to search for the prohibited ARIA attribute name (e.g. 'aria-checked', 'aria-expanded') within that file.
- Remove or replace the prohibited attribute according to the correct fix for that role (see steps above).
- Click Save, then preview the live storefront and re-test with the axe browser extension.
What is aria prohibited attr?
ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) is a set of special HTML attributes like `aria-label`, `aria-checked`, or `aria-expanded` that tell screen readers and other assistive technologies what an element is and how it behaves. However, every ARIA role — and every native HTML element that maps to a role — has a defined list of attributes it is allowed to use. Putting a prohibited ARIA attribute on an element is like giving a screen reader contradictory instructions: for example, adding `aria-checked` to a plain `<div role="heading">` makes no sense and causes confusion. The WCAG 4.1.2 success criterion requires that all user interface components have names, roles, and values that can be programmatically determined, which means the attributes must be valid for the element's role.
Screen readers (used by millions of people who are blind or have low vision) rely on ARIA attributes to announce what a control does and its current state. When a prohibited attribute is present, screen readers may announce garbled, incorrect, or completely missing information — making the element unusable for those shoppers. Beyond accessibility, WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance (Success Criterion 4.1.2) is increasingly required by law in the EU (European Accessibility Act 2025), the US (ADA, Section 508), and other jurisdictions — non-compliance carries real legal risk for online retailers. Automated scanners such as Lighthouse and axe flag this rule and it directly affects your accessibility audit score, which is a growing signal for brand trust and, in some markets, a procurement requirement.
See the complete Aria prohibited attr guide for every platform and the full background.
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