The most common mistake businesses make when removing an overlay is removing it before implementing source-level fixes. This creates a window where you have neither the overlay (cosmetic as it was) nor real remediation. Here is the correct sequence:
Do not remove your overlay before starting remediation. While the overlay provides minimal actual accessibility benefit, removing it without a plan creates unnecessary risk. Follow the steps below in order.
Before touching the overlay, complete a professional WCAG 2.2 audit of your entire site. This establishes a baseline of every violation — the issues your overlay was never fixing. The audit report becomes the roadmap for source remediation.
The audit should be performed with the overlay active so the auditor can document what it does and does not address. This creates a powerful before/after comparison.
With audit results in hand, start fixing violations at the source code level. Priority order:
The overlay remains active during this phase. You are layering real fixes underneath it.
Once source remediation is substantially complete (critical and high items resolved), remove the overlay. The process varies by platform:
Deactivate and delete the overlay plugin from Plugins in your admin panel. If installed via theme, remove the <script> tag from header.php or your child theme's functions file.
Uninstall the overlay app from Settings > Apps. If added as a script, remove it from Online Store > Themes > Edit Code > theme.liquid (look for the overlay's <script> tag).
Remove the custom code from your site's header injection settings. On Wix: Settings > Custom Code. On Squarespace: Settings > Advanced > Code Injection.
After removal: Clear your CDN cache, browser cache, and any page caching plugins. Test the site to confirm the overlay icon and scripts are completely gone. Check both desktop and mobile.
After removal, perform a verification scan to confirm that all source-level fixes are intact and the overlay's removal did not introduce any issues. Generate your final deliverables:
These documents replace the overlay subscription as your compliance evidence. Unlike the overlay, they document actual fixes to actual code.
Once the overlay is removed and verification is complete, cancel your subscription with the overlay vendor. You will no longer need it. Retain your cancellation confirmation for your records.
If your overlay contract has a term commitment, continue with the migration anyway. The legal exposure from keeping the overlay active (especially post-FTC ruling) exceeds the cost of early termination.
With source-level remediation replacing the overlay, here is what your compliance posture looks like:
Businesses often choose overlays because they appear cheaper. Over a 3-year period, the math tells a different story:
After the tax credit, source remediation often costs less than a single year of overlay subscription — and the results are permanent.
We handle the full migration: audit with overlay active, source remediation, overlay removal guidance, and compliance documentation. Start with a 3-minute assessment.