GitHub now gives open source projects a permanent home for accessibility data

GitHub has introduced official support for a new dedicated file called ACCESSIBILITY.md. This file gives software projects a permanent, predictable home to outline their accessibility goals, contributor expectations, supported environments, known limitations, and methods for reporting barriers. Previously, this vital information was often scattered across issue trackers, audit reports, and informal conversations, making it difficult for users and new contributors to find.

How the new accessibility feature works

The platform now recognizes the ACCESSIBILITY.md file when placed in a repository’s root folder, its .github directory, or its docs directory. Projects can also inherit a statement from an organization-wide repository. For public repositories, maintainers can easily add or propose a statement using a built-in starter document found under community standards. Additionally, new repositories now include a default accessibility issue label to help maintainers track and organize incoming reports.

Real-world examples and best practices

Several official projects are already utilizing the feature. The GitHub CLI uses its statement to document specific workarounds for screen reader users and to set expectations for code contributors. Meanwhile, the GitHub Annotation Toolkit documents known limitations within its Figma library, guiding collaborators to provide structured text descriptions alongside visual assets.

There is no rigid template for the file, allowing projects of all sizes to tailor the information to their actual maintenance capacity. Useful statements generally include goals, contributor expectations, clear reporting paths that do not require disability disclosure, supported environments, and designated ownership.