Įvery browser comes with its own default :focus styles–usually a dotted black outline around the element, or a blurred glow, however many designers find it not to their taste and will completely remove it.
The :focus state only applies to focusable elements, namely, ,, ,, and. 2. Create Noticeable :focus StylesĬSS has a :focus pseudo-class that is triggered when a user clicks or taps on an item, or selects it with the Tab key. You can also test the reverse direction using the Shift + Tab keyboard shortcut. Observe how easy or difficult it is to get to the main content, click a menu item, fill in a form, operate a slider, or follow your current position on the page. Navigating quick links in the Tuts+ footer with the Tab key Testing your website for keyboard accessibility is actually pretty easy: just press the Tab key and navigate from the top of the page to the bottom, highlighting active elements as you go. This is how keyboard-only users navigate through a web page. The most important goal of keyboard accessibility is to make every interactive element, such as links and form controls, available with the Tab key. Test Your Site for Keyboard Accessibility Anyone who simply doesn’t have access to a functioning mouse or touchpad.ġ.Amputees or those with congenital amputation (birth without a limb or limbs, specifically hands in this case) often use special hardware mimicking keyboard functionality.Blind or visually impaired users frequently prefer to navigate websites with specific Braille keyboards.Users with motor disabilities who have difficulty using a mouse, using a touch device, or clicking on small things.These are the main target groups of keyboard accessibility: Keyboard accessibility is the practice of making sure that users can navigate efficiently and unhindered using just their keyboard. Nowadays, when most web interfaces are designed with mouse cursors and touch interaction in mind, keyboard navigation is neglected. What is Keyboard Accessibility?Ī keyboard can be the primary means for some users to navigate websites. These tips are part of Web Accessibility: the Complete Learning Guide, where we’ve collected a range of tutorials, articles, courses, and ebooks, to help you understand web accessibility from the beginning. Here are some keyboard accessibility tips you can quickly implement using basic HTML and CSS. Making your website accessible for keyboard-only users is an important part of the bigger accessibility picture.