Reading Order/Focus Order
Topic | Technique | WCAG AA Requirement |
---|---|---|
Reading Order | Reading Order: The reading order MUST be logical and intuitive. Note: The default reading order is determined by the order of the elements in the DOM. |
Required WCAG 1.3.2 |
Focus Order | Focus Order: The navigation order of focusable elements MUST be logical and intuitive. Note 1: Focusable elements include links, form inputs and controls, buttons, and any element with a tabindex value of 0 or greater.Note 2: The default reading order is determined by the order of the focusable elements in the DOM. Note 3: Use the tab key to navigate forward through focusable elements, and shift + tab to navigate backward. |
Required WCAG 2.4.3 |
Tabindex | Positive values: A tabindex of positive values (e.g. tabindex="1" , tabindex="2" , etc.) SHOULD NOT be used, because the result is almost always an illogical reading and/or tab order. |
best practice |
Zero: Use tabindex="0" to make a custom widget or control focusable, if it is not already focusable.Note: Use natively focusable elements whenever possible (e.g. links, form inputs and controls, buttons), rather than custom controls, for simplicity in markup and implementation. |
best practice | |
Negative 1: Use tabindex="-1" to allow JavaScript to send the focus to an element, without putting it in the focus order. |
best practice |