• Success Criterion 2.5.4
  • Conformance level A

2.5.4 · Motion Actuation

Lesson overview · Motion Actuation

In plain language

Shake/tilt/motion features need a normal on-screen control and an off switch.

Who it affects

People with tremor and people whose device cannot be moved freely.

How to check

Identify motion-triggered features: verify a button alternative and a setting to disable motion input. Worked example — A nonprofit's donation form: try to pass an onboarding step via a button instead of a device-orientation gesture: if there's no alternative and no way to disable the requirement, it fails.

Common misconception

This rule isn't just about games. Any feature that responds to shaking or tilting, including “shake to undo” in a mainstream app, needs a settings toggle to turn it off. Real example: on a streaming music app's search results, a shake/tilt-controlled feature can't be switched off — users with tremors trigger it accidentally, and users who can't move the device can't use it.

Learn more

get in touch

Know where you stand. Know what to work on next.

Tell us what you’re working on and where you need support. Our accessibility specialists can help with audits, remediation, VPAT/ACR, accessible development, and ongoing compliance.

Free 30-minute consultation (opens in new tab)

Free 30-minute call: talk through where you stand, scope a project or get a quote.

Need technical answers now? Book the $100 one-hour consultation to walk through an audit, talk with a developer or review your site live.

Let’s find the barriers before your users do

Indicates a required field.


Your information is kept private and never shared with third parties.

Scenarios in this lesson