Chrome Extension for Accessibility & QA Testers

Stop digging through the DOM.
Just click and get what you need.

AxLens lets you capture selectors, source code, and screenshots directly from the page. No DevTools maze. No manual highlighting. Built for testers who care about speed — and for those who rely on assistive technologies to get the job done.

Install from Chrome Web Store See how it works

Before you get started

What AxLens can't do

We believe in being transparent and upfront about our product's limitations. These aren't bugs—they're browser-level security boundaries that extensions can not bypass.

Closed Shadow DOMs — Some components use closed shadow roots. Browsers don't allow extensions and external scripts to read inside them. If an element lives there, AxLens won't be able to inspect or access it.
Cross-domain iframes — If content is loaded from another origin inside an iframe, the browser blocks access to it. AxLens can still inspect and access everything on the main page, just not inside that frame.

Why AxLens exists

The problem isn't testing. It's everything around it.

Time and effort drain

If you've ever spent minutes digging through nested DOM nodes just to find one element, you already know the problem. Expand. Scan. Guess. Repeat. Then do it again to grab the source. Then again to capture a screenshot. Then again if you picked the wrong node. It's not hard work. It's just unnecessary work. And it slows everything down.

A bigger barrier for some

Now imagine doing all of that with a screen reader, or without being able to use a mouse. For testers with visual, motor or cognitive disabilities, the overhead isn't just annoying — it's a barrier. Finding the right node in DevTools isn't straightforward. Drawing highlights in tools like Paint or Lightshot isn't even an option. And asking someone else to help becomes the default. AxLens exists to remove that dependency. So testers can work independently, regardless of how they interact with the screen.

What you get

Three tools, one panel

AxLens gives you three focused tabs — each built around a specific part of accessibility testing.

Inspector

Capture what you need directly from the page.
  • Click any element to get its selector and source instantly
  • Move to parent, child, or sibling nodes without re-searching
  • Highlight elements and build a capture stack as you go
  • Take screenshots with highlights already in place
No DevTools digging. No back-and-forth.

UI Markers

See the structure, not just the visuals.
  • Highlight headings, landmarks, forms, links, lists, tables, and more
  • Toggle markers on demand to inspect semantics quickly
  • Reveal input purpose by showing autocomplete values next to fields and drop-downs
  • Use Tab Walker to display page's tab-order sequence
Test what users actually experience.

Responsive Viewport Checks

Test layout without resizing your browser manually.
  • Apply reflow at custom widths
  • Simulate zoom levels
  • Switch between portrait and landscape
Stay on the page.

Inspector in depth

Capture, inspect, and verify — without starting over.

Whether you need to capture one element or twenty, AxLens has a mode for you.

Quick Snap

Click any element on the page. AxLens captures its name, selector, and source code instantly.
  • Capture element name, selector, and source instantly
  • Navigate to parent, child, or sibling nodes without reselecting
  • Highlight the current element directly on the page
  • Add it to your stack for later use
Best when you're inspecting a specific issue and want control.

Bulk Snap

Click multiple elements one after another. Each click captures and highlights the element.
  • A red outline appears around each captured element
  • All captured elements are added to a stack automatically
  • Copy all selectors, source, or names in one go
  • Clear the stack or remove individual items
Best when you're collecting multiple issues in a single pass.

Screenshots

Capture screenshots of the page with highlighted elements already visible — no manual editing needed.
  • Alt + G — copy screenshot to clipboard
  • Alt + Shift + G — copy + download
  • Highlights are included automatically in the capture
No external tools. No manual annotation.

Highlight utilities

Target specific elements, and verify what's visible.
  • Alt + H — highlight elements using a CSS selector
  • Alt + W — know highlighted elements in the viewport
  • Helps confirm visibility, especially for screen reader users
Know what's there. Know what's visible.

Keyboard first

All the keyboard shortcuts you need

Every frequent action in AxLens is accessible through keyboard commands—no hidden paths, no restrictions.

Action Windows / Linux macOS

Getting started

Up and running in under a minute

Install, pin, and set your shortcuts — you're good to go.

Installation

  1. Head over to the Chrome Web Store and search for AxLens, or use the direct link from this page.
  2. Click the "Add to Chrome" button in the top-right corner of the listing.
  3. A confirmation dialog will appear — click "Add Extension" and wait a few seconds for the installation to complete.

That's it. No configuration needed to get started.

Setup Tips

Pin AxLens to your toolbar

By default, new extensions get tucked behind the puzzle-piece menu. Pin it so it's always one click away.

  1. Click the Extensions icon (the puzzle piece) at the top-right corner of your browser.
  2. Find AxLens in the dropdown and click the pin icon next to it.

Set a keyboard shortcut

Want to launch AxLens without clicking anything? Assign a custom keyboard shortcut.

  1. Navigate to chrome://extensions/shortcuts in your browser's address bar.
  2. Find AxLens in the list of extensions.
  3. Click the input field under "Activate the extension" and press your desired key combination.

Once set, you can open AxLens from any tab without reaching for the mouse.

Why it matters

Built for independence

For visually impaired testers

Working through DevTools with a screen reader isn't just slow, it's restrictive. Finding the right node takes time. Verifying it takes more. And tasks like drawing highlights or outlines on screenshots aren't practical at all. AxLens removes that friction. Capture elements directly. Navigate the structure with simple controls. Take screenshots with highlights already in place. No workarounds. No dependency on a sighted colleague or someone else.

For keyboard-only users

Every part of AxLens works without a mouse. Capture elements, move across nodes, copy data, trigger highlights, take screenshots. All from the keyboard. What usually requires multiple tools and manual steps becomes a single, continuous flow.

Start testing without the overhead

AxLens keeps your workflow simple — capture, inspect, and verify without jumping between tools. Free to use. Lightweight by design. Built for the people doing the actual testing.

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