1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded)
Level A
An alternative for time-based media or audio description of the prerecorded video content is provided for synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such.
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 1.2.4
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See G9: Creating captions for live synchronized media AND Understanding 1.2.5
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 1.2.5
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See SM6: Providing audio description in SMIL 1.0
1.2.6 Sign Language (Prerecorded)
Level AAA
Sign language interpretation is provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media.
1.2.8 Media Alternative (Prerecorded)
Level AAA
An alternative for time-based media is provided for all prerecorded synchronized media and for all prerecorded video-only media.
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 1.2.9
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See G157: Incorporating a live audio captioning service into a web page
Guideline 1.3 – Adaptable
Create content that can be presented in different ways (for example simpler layout) without losing information or structure.1.3.1 Info and Relationships
Level A
Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text.
Failures for Success Criterion 1.3.2
Failures for Success Criterion 1.3.3
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 1.3.5
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See Understanding 1.3.6
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 1.3.6
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See Understanding Techniques.
Situation A: If the color of particular words, backgrounds, or other content is used to indicate information:
Situation B: If color is used within an image to convey information:
- F13: Failure of Success Criterion 1.1.1 and 1.4.1 due to having a text alternative that does not include information that is conveyed by color differences in the image
- Understanding Techniques.
- F23: Failure of 1.4.2 due to playing a sound longer than 3 seconds where there is no mechanism to turn it off
- G18: Ensuring that a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 exists between text (and images of text) and background behind the text
- G148: Not specifying background color, not specifying text color, and not using technology features that change those defaults
- F83: Failure of Success Criterion 1.4.3 and 1.4.6 due to using background images that do not provide sufficient contrast with foreground text (or images of text)
1.4.4 Resize Text
Level AA
Except for captions and images of text, text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionality.
- SCR34: Calculating size and position in a way that scales with text size
- C17: Scaling form elements which contain text
- F80: Failure of Success Criterion 1.4.4 when text-based form controls do not resize when visually rendered text is resized up to 200%
- C22: Using CSS to control visual presentation of text
- C12: Using percent for font sizes
- C6: Positioning content based on structural markup
1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced)
Level AAA
The visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 7:1, except for the following:
Large Text: Large-scale text and images of large-scale text have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1;
Incidental: Text or images of text that are part of an inactive user interface component, that are pure decoration, that are not visible to anyone, or that are part of a picture that contains significant other visual content, have no contrast requirement.
Logotypes: Text that is part of a logo or brand name has no contrast requirement.
Advisory Techniques for Success Criterion 1.4.6
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 1.4.7
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See Understanding Techniques.
First Requirement: Techniques to ensure foreground and background colors can be selected by the user
Fifth Requirement: Techniques to ensure text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent in a way that does not require the user to scroll horizontally to read a line of text on a full-screen window
Failures for Success Criterion 1.4.8
Advisory Techniques for Success Criterion 1.4.9
- C8: Using CSS letter-spacing to control spacing within a word
- C32: Using media queries and grid CSS to reflow columns
- SCR34: Calculating size and position in a way that scales with text size
- C34: Using media queries to un-fixing sticky headers / footers
- Understanding Techniques.
Situation A: Color is used to identify user interface components or used to identify user interface component states
Failures for Success Criterion 1.4.11
Failures for Success Criterion 1.4.12
- SCR39: Making content on focus or hover hoverable, dismissible, and persistent
- ARIA: Using role="tooltip" (Potential future technique)
- CSS: Using hover and focus pseudo classes (Potential future technique)
Failures for Success Criterion 1.4.13
- G202: Ensuring keyboard control for all functionality
- Ensuring keyboard control using one of the following techniques:
- SCR2: Using redundant keyboard and mouse event handlers
Advisory Techniques for Success Criterion 2.1.1
- Using WAI-ARIA role, state, and value attributes if repurposing static elements as interactive user interface components (future link) AND F42: Failure of Success Criteria 1.3.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.3, or 4.1.2 when emulating links
2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap
Level A
If keyboard focus can be moved to a component of the page using a keyboard interface, then focus can be moved away from that component using only a keyboard interface, and, if it requires more than unmodified arrow or tab keys or other standard exit methods, the user is advised of the method for moving focus away.
Note: Since any content that does not meet this success criterion can interfere with a user's ability to use the whole page, all content on the web page (whether it is used to meet other success criteria or not) must meet this success criterion. See Conformance Requirement 5: Non-Interference.
2.1.3 Keyboard (No Exception)
Level AAA
All functionality of the content is operable through a keyboard interface without requiring specific timings for individual keystrokes.
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 2.1.4
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See Understanding 2.2.1
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 2.2.1
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See G198: Providing a way for the user to turn the time limit off
- G4: Allowing the content to be paused and restarted from where it was paused
- F40: Failure due to using meta redirect with a time limit
- Understanding Techniques.
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 2.2.3
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See Understanding Techniques.
- F40: Failure due to using meta redirect with a time limit
- G105: Saving data so that it can be used after a user re-authenticates
- Understanding Techniques.
- Setting a session timeout to occur following at least 20 hours of inactivity
- Storing user data for more than 20 hours
- Providing a warning of the duration of user inactivity at the start of a process
Guideline 2.3 – Seizures and Physical Reactions
Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures or physical reactions.2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold
Level A
Web pages do not contain anything that flashes more than three times in any one second period, or the flash is below the general flash and red flash thresholds.
Note: Since any content that does not meet this success criterion can interfere with a user's ability to use the whole page, all content on the web page (whether it is used to meet other success criteria or not) must meet this success criterion. See Conformance Requirement 5: Non-Interference.
2.3.3 Animation from Interactions
Level AAA(Added in 2.1)
Motion animation triggered by interaction can be disabled, unless the animation is essential to the functionality or the information being conveyed.
SCR40: Using the CSS prefers-reduced-motion query in JavaScript to prevent motion- Gx: Allowing users to set a preference that prevents animation
Guideline 2.4 – Navigable
Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.2.4.1 Bypass Blocks
Level A
A mechanism is available to bypass blocks of content that are repeated on multiple web pages.
2.4.2 Page Titled
Level A
Web pages have titles that describe topic or purpose.
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 2.4.3
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See PDF3: Ensuring correct tab and reading order in PDF documents
- Changing a web page dynamically using one of the following techniques:
- ARIA7: Using aria-labelledby for link purpose
- H79: Identifying the purpose of a link in a data table using the link text combined with its enclosing table cell and associated table header cells
- PDF13: Providing replacement text using the /Alt entry for links in PDF documents
Advisory Techniques for Success Criterion 2.4.4
2.4.5 Multiple Ways
Level AA
More than one way is available to locate a web page within a set of web pages except where the web page is the result of, or a step in, a process.
Advisory Techniques for Success Criterion 2.4.5
- G130: Providing descriptive headings
- G149: Using user interface components that are highlighted by the user agent when they receive focus
- C40: Creating a two-color focus indicator to ensure sufficient contrast with all components
- F78: Failure of Success Criterion 1.4.11, 2.4.7 and 2.4.13 due to styling element outlines and borders in a way that removes or renders non-visible the visual focus indicator
2.4.8 Location
Level AAA
Information about the user's location within a set of web pages is available.
2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only)
Level AAA
A mechanism is available to allow the purpose of each link to be identified from link text alone, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to users in general.
G91: Providing link text that describes the purpose of a link- SCR30: Using scripts to change the link text
- Providing a supplemental description of the purpose of a link using one of the following techniques:
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 2.4.10
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See Understanding 2.4.11
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 2.4.11
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See Understanding 2.4.12
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 2.4.12
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See Understanding 2.4.13
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 2.4.13
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See C41: Creating a strong focus indicator within the component
Failures for Success Criterion 2.4.13
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 2.5.2
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See F101: Failure of Success Criterion 2.5.2 due to activating a control on the down-event
2.5.3 Label in Name
Level A(Added in 2.1)
For user interface components with labels that include text or images of text, the name contains the text that is presented visually.
Note: A best practice is to have the text of the label at the start of the name.
Advisory Techniques for Success Criterion 2.5.3
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 2.5.4
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See Understanding 2.5.5
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 2.5.5
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See Example 1 in Pointer Events Level 2 (Potential future technique)
Failures for Success Criterion 2.5.6
Failures for Success Criterion 2.5.7
Principle 3 – Understandable
Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.
Guideline 3.1 – Readable
Make text content readable and understandable.3.1.1 Language of Page
Level A
The default human language of each web page can be programmatically determined.
PDF16: Setting the default language using the /Lang entry in the document catalog of a PDF document- Understanding Techniques.
- Understanding Techniques.
Situation A: If the word or phrase has a unique meaning within the web page:
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 3.1.4
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See G55: Linking to definitions
- G62: Providing a glossary
- G55: Linking to definitions
- Understanding Techniques.
Guideline 3.2 – Predictable
Make web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.3.2.1 On Focus
Level A
When any user interface component receives focus, it does not initiate a change of context.
G200: Opening new windows and tabs from a link only when necessary- Understanding Techniques.
- F36: Failure of Success Criterion 3.2.2 due to automatically submitting a form and presenting new content without prior warning when the last field in the form is given a value
- G61: Presenting repeated components in the same relative order each time they appear
Advisory Techniques for Success Criterion 3.2.3
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 3.2.4
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See sufficient techniques for Success Criterion 4.1.2 for providing labels, names, and text alternatives
Note:Text alternatives that are "consistent" are not always "identical." For instance, you may have a graphical arrow at the bottom of a web page that links to the next web page. The text alternative may say "Go to page 4." Naturally, it would not be appropriate to repeat this exact text alternative on the next web page. It would be more appropriate to say "Go to page 5". Although these text alternatives would not be identical, they would be consistent, and therefore would satisfy this success criterion.
A single non-text-content-item may be used to serve different functions. In such cases, different text alternatives are necessary and should be used. Examples can be commonly found with the use of icons such as check marks, cross marks, and traffic signs. Their functions can be different depending on the context of the web page. A check mark icon may function as "approved", "completed", or "included", to name a few, depending on the situation. Using "check mark" as text alternative across all web pages does not help users understand the function of the icon. Different text alternatives can be used when the same non-text content serves multiple functions.
Failures for Success Criterion 3.2.4
Situation B: If automatic redirects are possible:
- H83: Using the target attribute to open a new window on user request and indicating this in link text
- F60: Failure of Success Criterion 3.2.5 due to launching a new window when a user enters text into an input field
- F52: Failure of Success Criterion 3.2.5 due to opening a new window as soon as a new page is loaded
- Understanding Techniques.
Situation B: If information provided by the user is required to be in a specific data format or of certain values.
Advisory Techniques for Success Criterion 3.3.1
- Understanding Techniques.
- ARIA17: Using grouping roles to identify related form controls
- G83: Providing text descriptions to identify required fields that were not completed
- PDF10: Providing labels for interactive form controls in PDF documents
- F82: Failure of Success Criterion 3.3.2 by visually formatting a set of phone number fields but not including a text label
3.3.3 Error Suggestion
Level AA
If an input error is automatically detected and suggestions for correction are known, then the suggestions are provided to the user, unless it would jeopardize the security or purpose of the content.
G85: Providing a text description when user input falls outside the required format or values- G84: Providing a text description when the user provides information that is not in the list of allowed values
- G199: Providing success feedback when data is submitted successfully
- Understanding Techniques.
Situation A: If an application causes a legal transaction to occur, such as making a purchase or submitting an income tax return:
Advisory Techniques for Success Criterion 3.3.4
- Understanding Techniques.
Situation A: If a form requires text input:
Situation B: If a form requires text input in an expected data format:
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 3.3.6
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See Understanding Techniques.
4.1.2 Name, Role, Value
Level A
For all user interface components (including but not limited to: form elements, links and components generated by scripts), the name and role can be programmatically determined; states, properties, and values that can be set by the user can be programmatically set; and notification of changes to these items is available to user agents, including assistive technologies.
Note: This success criterion is primarily for web authors who develop or script their own user interface components. For example, standard HTML controls already meet this success criterion when used according to specification.
ARIA16: Using aria-labelledby to provide a name for user interface controls- H64: Using the title attribute of the iframe element
- G135: Using the accessibility API features of a technology to expose names and roles, to allow user-settable properties to be directly set, and to provide notification of changes using one or more of the following techniques:
- ARIA4: Using a WAI-ARIA role to expose the role of a user interface component
- F15: Failure of Success Criterion 4.1.2 due to implementing custom controls that do not use an accessibility API for the technology, or do so incompletely
- F79: Failure of Success Criterion 4.1.2 due to the focus state of a user interface component not being programmatically determinable or no notification of change of focus state available
- Understanding 4.1.3
Sufficient Techniques for Success Criterion 4.1.3
Note: Other techniques may also be sufficient if they meet the success criterion. See ARIA19: Using ARIA role=alert or Live Regions to Identify Errors in combination with any of the following techniques:
Advisory Techniques for Success Criterion 4.1.3
- Using aria-live regions with chat clients (future link)
- Using aria-live regions to support F103: Failure of Success Criterion 4.1.3 due to providing status messages that cannot be programmatically determined through role or properties
- Using
role="alert"oraria-live="assertive"on content which is not important and time-sensitive (future link)
ContributeWe welcome feedback and suggestions:
- This resource — Shadi Abou-Zahra (Project Lead), WCAG WG), with support from the Search
- Contacting WAI
Feedback welcome to [email protected] (a WAI staff-only list).
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