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A11ySignal
Level AWCAG 2.0WCAG 2.1WCAG 2.2EN 301 549 § 9.2.3.1

2.3.1
Three Flashes or Below Threshold

Nothing may flash more than three times a second.

What the standard says

Web pages do not contain anything that flashes more than three times in any one second period, or the flash is below the general flash and red flash thresholds.

Why it matters

Flashing in this range can trigger seizures. This is the one criterion that can cause physical harm.

What a failure looks like

  • failsA strobing animation in an ad or a game.
  • failsRapid video cuts between very light and very dark frames.

How to fix it

  • doKeep flashes below three per second, or below the general flash and red flash thresholds.

How A11ySignal checks it

manual

No automated rule can judge this criterion, and we will not pretend otherwise. A clean scan does not mean 2.3.1 passes — it means nothing we can measure fails. This one needs a person.

Also under 2.3 Seizures and Physical Reactions