In April 2024, ADA Title II was updated with new guidelines for archiving older web content. To be considered archived, content must meet certain requirements. Archived content does not have to follow accessibility standards.
All digital content made available after April 24, 2026 must meet WCAG 2.1 AA requirements.
Learn more: ADA Fact Sheet: Summary of the Exceptions
What is considered “web content”?
Web content is defined as anything you can experience on the web. This includes web pages, videos, documents, images, audio files, and apps.
What must be accessible?
Any web content people use to apply for, gain access to, or take part in your services, programs, or activities must be accessible and meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards by April 24, 2026. This applies to all content, no matter when it was made.
Examples of items that must be accessible:
- Forms that are used to request services or fulfill requirements.
- Web page describing an upcoming event.
- Class schedules.
- Course syllabus or assignments.
- A calendar of important upcoming dates.
- Website that provides information about an academic program for prospective students.
- A PDF that describes the steps to apply for a degree program.
What can be archived?
If someone requests that archived content be made accessible for their use, it must be remediated promptly.
You don’t have to fix web content that has been archived. But for your content to count as ‘archived,’ the Department of Justice says it must meet four conditions:
- The content was created before April 24, 2026, AND
- The content is kept only for reference, research, or recordkeeping, AND
- The content is kept in a special area for archived content, AND
- The content has not been changed since it was archived.
If any one of these conditions are not met, the content must meet WCAG 2.1 AA requirements.
Examples of items that might be able to be archived:
- A website for an event that happened in 2017
- A website about a specialty topic that was launched in 2001 and is no longer updated or maintained, and is not currently used for program access or participation.
How do I set up an archive?
An archive is simply a designated place for eligible digital content to be stored. It must be reasonably understood that your content is archived. There are multiple ways you and your team can achieve this.
Regardless of which option your team chooses to pursue, you will need to include two pieces of information with your archived content.
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Up-to-date contact information. Folks need to have a clear line of communication if they need to contact your site owner about remediating inaccessible, archived material. This can simply be a departmental email address.
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Clear language telling users that the content is archived. It needs to be easily understood to users that these materials are archived.
Our suggested archive language:
This page is archived. It is kept only for reference purposes, so it is no longer being updated and may not meet accessibility standards. If you need this content in a different format, please email [your contact information].
If you alter or update your archived content, it can no longer remain in the archive and must be made fully accessible. Content that is not archived must be made accessible.
Option 1: Create a dedicated webpage titled 'Archive'
You may choose to build a new page on your site titled ‘Archive’ or ‘Archived Content’. This new page you built will link to your archived resources.
An example of an archive webpage URL might look like this:
→ example.berkeley.edu/archive
Option 2: Organize files in an 'archived' subdirectory or subfolder.
You might choose to restructure your site, and ensure that files, webpages, or other content have ‘archive’ in the URL path. This option would look similar to Option 1.
An example of an archive subdirectory might look like this:
→ example.berkeley.edu/newsletters/archive/pdf-1
Option 3: Store your archive in a repository, like a Google Drive folder or Box.
You may choose to build a new Google Drive folder or a Box folder linked from your site that is titled ‘Archive’ or ‘Archived Content’. This new repository will hold your archived resources. This option is best if you are expecting your archive to primarily hold digital documents.
Learn more: How to archive documents with Box
Be sure that your archived content is clearly labeled as ‘archived’.
The Department of Justice defines archived content as being “kept in a special area for archived content”. This provides flexibility in how teams address their individual archives. Your solution may look different from the ones we have laid out.
If you have a specific questions or a use case for archived content that you would like us to review, please reach out: improving-accessibility@berkeley.edu
Historic physical media
Historic physical media (like paper documents or floppy disks) that were created before April 24, 2026 may be converted to a modern file type after April 24, 2026 and archived based on their original creation date.
The modern file type must be made accessible if it is used to apply for, access, or participate in a service, program, or activity. If they are edited or updated, they must be made fully accessible.