diff --git a/CHANGELOG-AI.md b/CHANGELOG-AI.md
index 4550ff3c..8b91c09e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG-AI.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG-AI.md
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ Use one bullet per session (newest first):
 
 ## Entries (newest first)
 
+- 2026-06-05 — **Stage 8 / accessibility**: WCAG audit + fixes (Issues #708–#711). Added a skip-to-content link with an e2e assertion (SC 2.4.1, not caught by axe), a global `:focus-visible` fallback (SC 2.4.7), a `<header>` banner landmark with `<nav>` scoped to the route tabs (SC 1.3.1), extended the axe e2e to the `wcag22aa` tag set with 24px clear-button hit areas (SC 2.5.8), a global `prefers-reduced-motion` rule, and darkened `--muted-foreground` for contrast headroom (SC 1.4.3). One commit per issue. (Claude Opus 4.8 via Claude Code)
+  - **Log:** [log](docs/ai-logs/2026-06-05-wcag-accessibility-audit.md)
+
 - 2026-06-03 — **Docs / Stage 8**: Sync `docs/03-architecture.md` with the Stage 8 codebase (Issue #631). Rewrote the project-structure tree, reactive-state topology, component tree, data-flow diagrams, error-handling, accessibility, and related-docs sections to reflect the real modules — factory-function state (`createEntitySelectionState`/`createCalculatorState`/…) + page orchestrators, `app-init.svelte.ts` bootstrap, the layered URL parser (`url-grammar.peggy` → AST, `urlv=2`), the tabbed `entity-selection/` picker, `results/table-*.svelte`, `unit-anchor-strip.svelte`, and `<svelte:boundary>` page error fallbacks. Removed the dead `EntityDropdown`/`EntityPanel`/`EnergyInput`/`UnitSelector`/`entities.svelte.ts`/`calculation.svelte.ts` references. Annotated the shipped/deferred follow-ups in `entity-selection.md`; verified `calculator.md` already uses the unit-anchor strip. (Claude Opus 4.8 via Claude Code)
   - **Log:** [log](docs/ai-logs/2026-06-03-issue-631-docs-sync.md)
 
diff --git a/docs/ai-logs/2026-06-05-wcag-accessibility-audit.md b/docs/ai-logs/2026-06-05-wcag-accessibility-audit.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2414e68a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/ai-logs/2026-06-05-wcag-accessibility-audit.md
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+# 2026-06-05 — WCAG Accessibility Audit & Fixes
+
+## Session Narrative
+
+### Prompt 1: Audit the app for full WCAG compatibility and report what is missing
+
+**AI response**: Surveyed the codebase for WCAG 2.1 AA coverage. Found the app
+already well-instrumented: axe-core e2e test (`tests/e2e/accessibility.spec.ts`)
+across all four routes running in CI, `lang`, per-page titles, an `h1` per route,
+`aria-current` nav state, `aria-label`s on icon/ambiguous buttons, 29 live-region
+usages plus `selection-live-region.svelte`, `role="dialog"` + focus traps on
+modals, `role="img"` + description on the JSROOT plot, and 48px route-tab touch
+targets. Identified gaps: **(1)** no skip link (SC 2.4.1, Level A — and not caught
+by axe), **(2)** no global `:focus-visible` fallback (SC 2.4.7), **(3)** masthead
+is a bare `<nav>` containing non-nav controls (SC 1.3.1), plus a coverage blind
+spot (axe only ran `wcag2a`/`wcag2aa`, not `wcag22aa`) and minor hardening
+(partial reduced-motion, borderline `--muted-foreground` contrast). Delivered the
+report in chat.
+
+### Prompt 2: Create issues describing what to fix and why
+
+**AI response**: Filed four focused issues on `APTG/dedx_web`: #708 (skip link),
+#709 (focus-visible), #710 (header landmark), #711 (WCAG 2.2 coverage +
+hardening). Each has summary, rationale, concrete proposed fix with file paths,
+acceptance criteria, and WCAG references. Only the `enhancement` label existed in
+the repo, so severity was encoded in the bodies.
+
+### Prompt 3: Work the issues (one commit each), create labels + retag, add AI log, open a PR
+
+**AI response**: Implemented all four on `claude/wcag-compatibility-audit-CPq46`,
+one commit per issue. Determined via axe-core source that `wcag22aa` adds only the
+`target-size` rule (SC 2.5.8); proactively gave the two clear-override icon
+buttons a 24px hit area. Verified the darkened contrast token direction with a
+luminance calc. Ran `pnpm lint` (clean), `pnpm check` (0 errors), `pnpm test`
+(1697 pass; the only failures are `guard-forbidden-files.test.ts`, which spawn
+nested `git commit`s that hit the sandbox commit-signing server — environmental,
+unrelated to these changes).
+
+## Tasks
+
+### #708 — Skip-to-content link (WCAG 2.4.1, Level A)
+
+- **Status**: completed
+- **Stage**: Stage 8 (accessibility hardening)
+- **Files changed**: `src/routes/+layout.svelte`, `tests/e2e/accessibility.spec.ts`
+- **Decision**: Off-screen-until-focused link as first focusable element targeting
+  `<main id="main-content" tabindex="-1">`; `#main-content:focus { outline: none }`
+  so the programmatic skip target shows no ring. Added an e2e assertion (first Tab
+  focuses the link, Enter moves focus to `<main>`) because axe's `bypass` rule does
+  not reliably detect a missing skip link.
+
+### #709 — Global :focus-visible fallback (WCAG 2.4.7)
+
+- **Status**: completed
+- **Stage**: Stage 8
+- **Files changed**: `src/app.css`
+- **Decision**: `:where(...)` selector keeps specificity at 0 so existing
+  component focus styles still win; excludes `tabindex="-1"` so skip targets don't
+  get a ring.
+
+### #710 — `<header>` banner landmark, scoped `<nav>` (WCAG 1.3.1)
+
+- **Status**: completed
+- **Stage**: Stage 8
+- **Files changed**: `src/routes/+layout.svelte`
+- **Decision**: Masthead is now `<header>` (banner); `<nav aria-label="Primary">`
+  wraps only the route tabs. All `data-testid` hooks preserved; existing
+  `locator("nav")` / `getByRole("navigation")` e2e checks still resolve to the
+  route-tabs nav.
+
+### #711 — WCAG 2.2 coverage + hardening
+
+- **Status**: completed
+- **Stage**: Stage 8
+- **Files changed**: `tests/e2e/accessibility.spec.ts`, `src/app.css`,
+  `src/lib/components/advanced-options-panel.svelte`
+- **Decision**: Added `wcag22aa` to the axe tag set (adds `target-size` / SC
+  2.5.8 only). Gave the clear-override buttons a 24px hit area. Added a global
+  `prefers-reduced-motion` rule. Darkened `--muted-foreground` 0.47 → 0.44 for AA
+  contrast headroom.
+- **Issue**: e2e/axe could not be executed in this environment (no built WASM, no
+  Playwright browsers), so `target-size` was validated by reasoning + proactive
+  hardening rather than a live run. CI on the PR is the final verifier.
diff --git a/docs/ai-logs/README.md b/docs/ai-logs/README.md
index a9a21d1d..7a2317db 100644
--- a/docs/ai-logs/README.md
+++ b/docs/ai-logs/README.md
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ summary table of all sessions.
 
 | File | Date | Topic |
 | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| [2026-06-05-wcag-accessibility-audit.md](2026-06-05-wcag-accessibility-audit.md) | 5 June 2026 | **WCAG audit & fixes (#708–#711)** (Claude Opus 4.8 via Claude Code): skip-to-content link with e2e assertion (SC 2.4.1, not caught by axe); global `:focus-visible` fallback (SC 2.4.7); `<header>` banner landmark with `<nav>` scoped to route tabs (SC 1.3.1); axe e2e extended to `wcag22aa` + 24px clear-button hit areas (SC 2.5.8); global `prefers-reduced-motion` rule; darkened `--muted-foreground` for contrast headroom (SC 1.4.3). One commit per issue. |
 | [2026-06-03-issue-631-docs-sync.md](2026-06-03-issue-631-docs-sync.md) | 3 June 2026 | **Sync architecture & specs with Stage 8 state (#631)** (Claude Opus 4.8 via Claude Code): rewrote `docs/03-architecture.md` (project structure, factory-function + orchestrator state topology, layered URL parser `urlv=2`, tabbed `entity-selection/` + `results/table-*` component tree, data-flow diagrams, `<svelte:boundary>` error fallbacks, accessibility); annotated shipped/deferred follow-ups in `entity-selection.md`; verified `calculator.md` already on the unit-anchor strip. |
 | [2026-05-31-inverse-lookups.md](2026-05-31-inverse-lookups.md) | 31 May 2026 | **Second output column for the inverse tabs (#673)** (Claude Opus 4.8 via Claude Code): Range → gains a `→ STP` column (shared `stpOutputUnit` header menu); STP → pairs a `→ Range` column with each energy branch (high-E always, low-E on reveal). Complementary value recovered via a forward `calculate()` at the resolved energies — no new WASM API. State/calc/components + `inverse-lookups.md` v7 / `calculator.md` / wasm contract updated; new unit tests. |
 | [2026-05-30-stp-output-units.md](2026-05-30-stp-output-units.md) | 30 May 2026 | **Stopping-power output unit selector in the Advanced calculator (#670)** (Claude Opus 4.8 via Claude Code): STP column header becomes a dropdown (`keV/µm` · `MeV/cm` · `MeV·cm²/g`) with desktop popover + mobile bottom sheet; shared `sunit=` URL param (single source of truth for calculator + plot; legacy `stp_unit=` still read); cross-page sharing via in-memory state, **no localStorage**; single-entity STP conversion moved to render time. Unit/component/E2E tests added. |
diff --git a/src/app.css b/src/app.css
index 878021ff..c360c9f2 100644
--- a/src/app.css
+++ b/src/app.css
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@
   --secondary: oklch(0.97 0 0);
   --secondary-foreground: oklch(0.205 0 0);
   --muted: oklch(0.97 0 0);
-  --muted-foreground: oklch(0.47 0 0);
+  /* Darkened from 0.47 → 0.44 for AA contrast headroom on white (WCAG 1.4.3) */
+  --muted-foreground: oklch(0.44 0 0);
   --accent: oklch(0.97 0 0);
   --accent-foreground: oklch(0.205 0 0);
   --destructive: oklch(0.577 0.245 27.325);
@@ -80,4 +81,33 @@
   body {
     @apply bg-background text-foreground;
   }
+
+  /* Global visible-focus fallback (WCAG 2.4.7). :where() keeps specificity at 0
+     so components with their own focus styles continue to win. Excludes
+     tabindex="-1" so programmatic skip targets don't show a ring. */
+  :where(
+    a,
+    button,
+    input,
+    select,
+    textarea,
+    [role="button"],
+    [tabindex]:not([tabindex="-1"])
+  ):focus-visible {
+    outline: 2px solid var(--ring, var(--primary));
+    outline-offset: 2px;
+  }
+
+  /* Respect reduced-motion globally — neutralizes Tailwind transitions/animations
+     not already gated by per-component matchMedia checks. */
+  @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+    *,
+    *::before,
+    *::after {
+      animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
+      animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
+      transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
+      scroll-behavior: auto !important;
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/components/advanced-options-panel.svelte b/src/lib/components/advanced-options-panel.svelte
index ac7a38cc..60acba4c 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/advanced-options-panel.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/advanced-options-panel.svelte
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@
                       ? "Custom compounds carry their own density. Edit the compound to change density."
                       : undefined}
                     onclick={clearDensity}
-                    class="absolute right-2 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+                    class="absolute right-1 top-1/2 flex h-6 w-6 -translate-y-1/2 items-center justify-center text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
                     aria-label="Clear density override"
                   >
                     <svg
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@
                       ? "Custom compounds carry their own I-value. Edit the compound to change it."
                       : undefined}
                     onclick={clearIValue}
-                    class="absolute right-2 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+                    class="absolute right-1 top-1/2 flex h-6 w-6 -translate-y-1/2 items-center justify-center text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
                     aria-label="Clear I-value override"
                   >
                     <svg
diff --git a/src/routes/+layout.svelte b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
index 46e7105b..40ded771 100644
--- a/src/routes/+layout.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@
 </script>
 
 <div class="min-h-screen bg-background">
-  <nav class="border-b bg-card" data-testid="app-header">
+  <a href="#main-content" class="skip-link">Skip to content</a>
+  <header class="border-b bg-card" data-testid="app-header">
     <div class="container mx-auto px-4">
       <!-- Row 1: logo + secondary controls (mode toggle, export, share) -->
       <div class="flex h-12 items-center justify-between gap-2">
@@ -167,7 +168,11 @@
       </div>
 
       <!-- Row 2: primary route navigation tabs — muted strip so active tab pops out -->
-      <div class="flex border-t border-border/40 bg-muted/60" data-testid="route-tabs">
+      <nav
+        aria-label="Primary"
+        class="flex border-t border-border/40 bg-muted/60"
+        data-testid="route-tabs"
+      >
         <a
           href={`${base}/calculator`}
           class="route-tab"
@@ -198,9 +203,9 @@
         >
           Docs
         </a>
-      </div>
+      </nav>
     </div>
-  </nav>
+  </header>
 
   {#if wasmError.value}
     <div class="bg-destructive/15 border-b border-destructive/20 px-4 py-3">
@@ -225,7 +230,7 @@
     </div>
   {/if}
 
-  <main class="container mx-auto px-4 pt-3 pb-6 sm:py-6">
+  <main id="main-content" tabindex="-1" class="container mx-auto px-4 pt-3 pb-6 sm:py-6">
     {@render children()}
   </main>
 
@@ -258,6 +263,33 @@
 </div>
 
 <style>
+  /* Skip link: off-screen until focused, then slides into view (WCAG 2.4.1) */
+  .skip-link {
+    position: absolute;
+    left: 0.5rem;
+    top: -3.5rem;
+    z-index: 50;
+    padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem;
+    font-size: 0.875rem;
+    font-weight: 500;
+    border-radius: var(--radius-md);
+    background-color: var(--card);
+    color: var(--foreground);
+    box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgb(0 0 0 / 0.2);
+    transition: top 0.15s ease;
+  }
+
+  .skip-link:focus-visible {
+    top: 0.5rem;
+    outline: 2px solid var(--ring, var(--primary));
+    outline-offset: 2px;
+  }
+
+  /* The skip target is programmatically focusable but should not show a ring */
+  #main-content:focus {
+    outline: none;
+  }
+
   .route-tab {
     display: flex;
     flex: 1 1 0%;
diff --git a/tests/e2e/accessibility.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/accessibility.spec.ts
index 6808f1c4..d5944ec4 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/accessibility.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/accessibility.spec.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ for (const { path, label } of ROUTES) {
     }
 
     const results = await new AxeBuilder({ page })
-      .withTags(["wcag2a", "wcag2aa"])
+      .withTags(["wcag2a", "wcag2aa", "wcag22aa"])
       // Bits UI Combobox places the search <input role="combobox"> inside
       // div[role="listbox"], which violates aria-required-children. This is a
       // known structural limitation of the bits-ui combobox pattern and is not
@@ -35,3 +35,18 @@ for (const { path, label } of ROUTES) {
     expect(results.violations).toEqual([]);
   });
 }
+
+test("skip link is the first tab stop and moves focus to main @regression", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto("/calculator");
+  await page.waitForSelector('[data-testid="result-table"]', { timeout: 15000 });
+
+  // First Tab from the top of the document must land on the skip link.
+  await page.keyboard.press("Tab");
+  const skipLink = page.getByRole("link", { name: "Skip to content" });
+  await expect(skipLink).toBeFocused();
+
+  // Activating it moves focus to the main content landmark.
+  await page.keyboard.press("Enter");
+  const main = page.locator("#main-content");
+  await expect(main).toBeFocused();
+});