Get started (4) (4 pages)

• Download. Download Octopus Scanner, the free website accessibility checker, for Windows and macOS.
• Install Guide. System requirements and steps to install, update and uninstall Octopus Scanner on Windows 11 or a Mac with Apple silicon.
• Terminal Install Guide. Install Octopus Scanner from PowerShell or Terminal with one command.
• Your First Scan. How to check a whole website for accessibility with Octopus Scanner.

Using Octopus Scanner (4) (4 pages)

• The Complete User Guide. A reference for every setting, button and window in Octopus Scanner.
• Scanning Behind a Sign-In. Scan pages behind a sign-in with Octopus Scanner.
• Local LLM Review. Set up the optional Local LLM Review with Ollama, LM Studio or another local server, and read its suggestions with care.
• Scanning Responsibly. Get permission, keep server load low, use Stealth Mode properly, protect test data and share reports with care when you scan with Octopus Scanner.

Reports (4) (4 pages)

• Sample Report. Download a free sample accessibility report from a real scan of a demo shop.
• After Your Scan. Next steps after an Octopus Scanner scan.
• Report Anatomy. How each part of an Octopus Scanner HTML report works.
• Report File Formats. Octopus Scanner report files explained.

Help and troubleshooting (4) (4 pages)

• Troubleshooting Guide. Fixes for common Octopus Scanner problems.
• Messages and Skipped Pages. Every skipped-page reason in an Octopus Scanner report.
• Security Warnings Guide. Why SmartScreen and Gatekeeper warn about Octopus Scanner, how to verify the download's SHA-256 hash and what to do if a browser or antivirus blocks it.
• Common Questions. Answers to common questions about Octopus Scanner.

About Octopus Scanner (9) (9 pages)

• Features. Full-domain crawling, no-code user journeys, dark mode auditing, ticket generation and PDF accessibility checks in one free website accessibility checker.
• How Octopus Scanner Compares. How Octopus Scanner compares with accessibility browser extensions, cloud platforms and developer libraries, and when another tool may suit you better.
• Scope of Automated Testing. What an automated accessibility scan can establish, what it can't and how to use Octopus Scanner reports as part of a complete audit.
• Accessibility Law: EU and UK. A plain-English guide to the European Accessibility Act, EN 301 549, the Equality Act 2010 and UK public sector rules, and who they apply to.
• Release Notes. Release notes for Octopus Scanner.
• The Octopus Manifesto. The six principles behind Octopus Scanner.
• Design Choices. Why Octopus Scanner looks the way it does.
• Glossary. Definitions of the terms used in Octopus Scanner and its guides.
• About the Maker. Meet Lachlan Thompson, the accessibility specialist who made Octopus Scanner, a private, unobtrusive and genuinely simple accessibility checker.

Privacy and legal (5) (5 pages)

• Data, Privacy & Security. How Octopus Scanner keeps accessibility testing local and private.
• Security Policy. How to report an Octopus Scanner security vulnerability privately, what happens next, what is in scope and guidance for good-faith research.
• Terms and Conditions. The terms and conditions that govern use of Octopus Scanner, the free website accessibility checker for Windows and macOS.
• Third-Party Licences. The third-party components used by Octopus Scanner and this website.
• Interim Accessibility Statement. How accessibility is approached in Octopus Scanner and its reports.