- Success Criterion 1.3.1
- Conformance level A
Form Error Message Not Linked to the Field It Describes
1.3.1 — Info and Relationships
Scenario
Setting
A professional networking site's profile editor
What’s wrong
Error association: message displayed near the field but not linked via aria-describedby (code that ties help or error text to a field) (relationship visual only).
Example
Try this on a professional networking site's profile editor: error association: message displayed near the field but not linked via aria-describedby (code that ties help or error text to a field) (relationship visual only).
Why it matters
Screen-reader, braille, and reading-tool users who depend on coded structure rather than visual layout. On a professional networking site's profile editor, that means they can't navigate the content by its real structure.
How to test
Trigger a validation error and focus the field with a screen reader: it should announce the error text — if aria-describedby isn't wired to the message, it stays visual-only.
How to fix
Link the error message to the field with aria-describedby (code that ties help or error text to a field) so it's announced on focus.
Outcome
With the fix in place on a professional networking site's profile editor, they navigate the content in a sensible order.
Who is affected
Screen-reader, braille, and reading-tool users who depend on coded structure rather than visual layout.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
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