• Success Criterion 2.2.1
  • Conformance level A

Session Expiring With No Warning and No Way to Extend It

2.2.1 — Timing Adjustable

Scenario

Setting

An online spreadsheet's toolbar

What’s wrong

Session expiry with no warning and no extend option (form data lost) — no exception applies.

Example 

function checkIdle() {
  if (idleTime > 600000) logout(); // no warning shown
}

Why it matters

A user typing formulas into cells loses unsaved calculations the instant the session silently drops.

How to test

Leave a session idle until it expires: check for a warning before expiry, and confirm form data isn't lost when the session ends.

How to fix

Always warn before expiry and auto-save draft data as a backstop.

function warnBeforeExpiry() {
  showDialog('Your session ends in 2 minutes. Extend it?', extendSession);
}
setTimeout(warnBeforeExpiry, sessionDuration - 120000);

Outcome

A spreadsheet user saves their work before the session ends instead of losing an afternoon's edits.

Who is affected

Users who type slowly, including those with motor impairments, lose work with no chance to save it first.

Learn more

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