- Success Criterion 2.5.1
- Conformance level A
Slider Operable Only by Dragging, Not by Tapping or Typing
2.5.1 — Pointer Gestures
Scenario
Setting
A weather app's forecast screen
What’s wrong
Slider widgets requiring drag along a track (path-based) with no tap-on-track/stepper/keyboard-visible alternative for pointer users.
Example
Open a weather app's forecast screen and this is what you'll see: slider widgets requiring drag along a track (path-based) with no tap-on-track/stepper/keyboard-visible alternative for pointer users.
Why it matters
People with limited hand mobility and users of head-pointers, sticks, or eye-gaze systems. The practical effect on a weather app's forecast screen: they get stuck and can't reach the control.
How to test
Try clicking directly on the slider track (or using a stepper) instead of dragging the thumb: if only path-based dragging works, it fails.
How to fix
A single-tap/click alternative must exist for every path-based or multi-point gesture.
Outcome
That one change on a weather app's forecast screen means they reach and operate the control without a mouse, specifically for the “Slider Operable Only by Dragging, Not by Tapping or Typing” issue on a weather app's forecast screen.
Who is affected
People with limited hand mobility and users of head-pointers, sticks, or eye-gaze systems.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
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