• Success Criterion 2.1.2
  • Conformance level A

2.1.2 · No Keyboard Trap

Lesson overview · No Keyboard Trap

In plain language

Keyboard focus must never get stuck anywhere on the page.

Who it affects

All keyboard and screen-reader users who can become stuck inside a component.

How to check

Tab through the whole page including embeds and popups: confirm you can always Tab or Esc back out of every component. Worked example — A grocery delivery app's shopping cart: tab into a rich-text editor and press Tab: if it's captured for indentation with no documented alternate exit key (and none is advised on screen), it fails.

Common misconception

A modal that intentionally holds focus is fine, and expected. The failure is a modal that holds focus with *no* documented way out, no Esc, no visible close button. Real example: on an email client's compose window, keyboard focus can get stuck inside an embedded plugin/format (video player, widget) and the user cannot Tab back out to the rest of the page.

Learn more

Scenarios in this lesson