How to fix aria roles on Shopify

Steps for Shopify

1. In your Shopify Admin, go to Online Store → Themes → click Actions → Edit code on your active theme.
2. Use the search box (top-left of the code editor) to search for `role=` across all theme files.
3. Click each result — most will be in `.liquid` files under `sections/`, `snippets/`, or `layout/theme.liquid`.
4. In the file editor, locate the invalid role attribute (the scanner will have identified the specific value), correct or remove it, and click Save.
5. For roles added by third-party Shopify apps, check the app's settings or contact the app developer — you cannot edit app-injected code directly.
6. Verify the fix with a browser-based axe DevTools scan on the live storefront.

What is aria roles?

The `role` attribute tells assistive technologies (screen readers, braille displays, voice control software) what kind of interface element something is — for example, a button, a navigation landmark, a dialog, or a list. The WAI-ARIA specification defines an exact list of allowed role names. If any element on your store carries a role that isn't on that list — whether it's a typo like `role="buton"`, an invented name like `role="product-card"`, or an outdated value like `role="presentation"` used incorrectly — the browser and screen reader simply ignore it or misinterpret the element entirely. WCAG Success Criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value) requires that every user interface component exposes a valid, programmatically determinable role so all users can understand and operate it.

Screen reader users — who include people with visual impairments, motor disabilities, and cognitive disabilities — rely on role information to navigate and interact with your store. An invalid role means those customers hear confusing or missing announcements, cannot identify interactive controls, and may abandon your checkout or product pages. Beyond lost conversions, accessibility failures carry real legal risk: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is referenced in ADA Title III lawsuits and, in many jurisdictions, is a statutory requirement for online businesses. Google also uses accessibility signals as a quality factor, so pages riddled with invalid ARIA can indirectly suppress organic rankings. Fixing invalid roles is typically a quick code change with outsized impact on both compliance and customer experience.

See the complete Aria roles guide for every platform and the full background.