- Success Criterion 3.3.3
- Conformance level AA
Rejected Date Entry With No Explanation of the Expected Format
3.3.3 — Error Suggestion
Scenario
Setting
A social media platform's settings menu
What’s wrong
Date rejected without stating accepted format/range.
Example
A social media platform's settings menu is a good example: date rejected without stating accepted format/range.
Why it matters
People with cognitive disabilities and anyone stalled by vague validation messages. On a social media platform's settings menu, that means they can't tell what a field wants or why it failed.
How to test
Trigger a validation error where the format is known (date, phone): if the message doesn't state the accepted format, it fails.
How to fix
The error message must tell the user how to fix the problem — the expected format, range, or valid options.
Outcome
With the fix in place on a social media platform's settings menu, they complete the form without guessing.
Who is affected
People with cognitive disabilities and anyone stalled by vague validation messages.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- Rejected Input With No Guidance on How to Fix It
- Invalid Entry Message With No Hint at the Expected Format
- Rejected Password With No List of the Unmet Requirements
- Taken Username With No Suggested Alternatives Offered
- Rejected File Upload With No Stated Size or Type Limits
- Rejected Entry With No Suggested Near-Match From a Known List