• Success Criterion 1.3.5
  • Conformance level AA

Custom Form Widget That Drops the Native Autocomplete Behavior

1.3.5 — Identify Input Purpose

Scenario

Setting

A news outlet's article page

What’s wrong

Custom JS widgets replacing native inputs (framework "smart fields") that drop the underlying autocomplete/purpose semantics.

Example

On a news outlet's article page: custom JS widgets replacing native inputs (framework "smart fields") that drop the underlying autocomplete/purpose semantics.

Why it matters

People with motor or cognitive disabilities who rely on browser autofill for personal data. On a news outlet's article page specifically, they can't tell what a field wants or why it failed.

How to test

Inspect a custom-built 'smart field' component in DevTools: check whether the rendered input still carries the correct native autocomplete attribute, or whether the framework stripped it.

How to fix

The field must carry the correct, valid autocomplete token (code telling browsers what the field collects) for its purpose so browsers and assistive tools can identify and autofill it.

Outcome

Fixed, a visitor to a news outlet's article page can see exactly what went wrong and how to fix it.

Who is affected

People with motor or cognitive disabilities who rely on browser autofill for personal data.

Learn more